ALP 101 Academic Reading Learning Focus • Understand the importance of reading in an academic context. • Understand the conventional layout of textbooks and chapters. • Understand the need to change your strategies in order to read different texts: • Reading to get an overview • Reading selectively http://www.clipartpanda.com/clipart_images/to-write-clip-art-image-6207048 Reader Writer Reading is a relationship between: • the reader • the writer • the text • the context in which the text is produced When do we read academic texts?: • To prepare for a project or an assignment • To study for a test or an exam • To better undertake research in our field of study Good reading habits • Reading is an essential part of the academic experience. • Reading is strongly linked to academic development. • Reading involves active processes of meaning making (not passive act of receiving meaning). Reading academic texts provides you with: • a broad base of knowledge from which to discuss or argue • a theoretical framework for understanding your subject • an opportunity to internalise the language structures and text patterns of your subject area • an opportunity to learn new words. Good writing comes from good reading • You learn how writers make meaning. • You assimilate discipline-specific words and phrases. • You become familiar with the genres of your discipline. • You learn to use certain thinking structures. Reading for university is purposeful • You read to gain access to knowledge. • You read to get an informed picture of a topic. • You read critically in order to evaluate a point of view. • You read to integrate different points of view. • You read to familiarise yourself with the language and terminology of your field of study. • You read to prepare for a project or an exam. Academic sources • Information that you study at university will come from different sources: • textbooks • journal articles • on-line sources • chapters in books • interviews • observations Written texts have different purposes • A text style will vary depending on the purpose for writing and the audience: • A fiction writer aims to entertain by telling a story for recreational purposes. • A journalist aims to inform a particular reading audience about local or world events (The Citizen/The Mail and Guardian). • A textbook writer aims to inform and educate scholars at different levels Expository writing • The purpose of expository writing is to explain, clarify or provide the reader with information. • Characteristics of expository writing include: • • • • • • • • description – physical/process definition exemplification generalisation classification comparison and contrast cause and effect interpretation of graphs/data Textbook • To be able to access information quickly at university, you will need to become familiar with the layout of an academic textbook. You will need to understand the purpose of: • the preface the bibliography • the index the glossary • the dust cover the publication details Chapter • To gain a quick overview of the chapter of a book it is useful to understand its structure. • This may include the following: • title – introduction • section heading – sub-section heading • highlighted words or phrases • diagrams and illustrations • summary • suggestions for further reading Reading selectively • Before you begin reading ask the following questions: • Who wrote the text - is the author well know in my field? • When was it written - is it recent, outdated or a classic? • What was the author/s’ purpose for writing the text? • Who is the audience - is written for the specialist/ the layman? • What possible slant/bias is communicated? • How relevant is it for my studies/assignment? Reading strategies • We usually begin reading a text with some prior background knowledge. • It is generally difficult to read about a topic that we know nothing about. • We don’t read all texts in the same way: different texts invite different ways of reading. • To read efficiently we need to develop and apply reading strategies. Reading techniques • For academic purposes there are 5 different reading techniques: • Speed reading • Skimming • Scanning • Study-reading • Critical reading Speed reading • Application: • to get preliminary understanding of a long text • to find background information on a topic Skimming • Purpose: read through very quickly to get the general idea of the whole text • Techniques: look for title, subtitles, first paragraph, first sentence of each paragraph, key words in bold or italics, pictures or charts, conclusion or summary • Application: • To preview; to decide if information is relevant • To survey; to get an overview or general outline • To review; to revise previously studied texts Scanning • Purpose: to find specific information • Application: - names and dates - words in a dictionary - definitions in glossaries - table of contents and index - timetables and directories Study reading • Purpose: to understand and remember • Techniques: - Read interactively - Read critically What is a competent reader? • • • • • • • • Competent readers should be able to: read actively and interactively get involved in the text by making predictions apply different reading strategies understand what they read identify main ideas evaluate what they read apply what they read to a wider context How will reading help me? • Reading is power – you make informed decisions. • Reading is information – you gain knowledge. • Reading is expanding your horizons and understanding of the world. • Reading is food for the mind and the imagination. • Reading is essential for academic success. Discussion •Why is it useful to predict the contents of a text before reading it? •What are reading strategies and how do they help you? •What is a global understanding of a text? Why is it useful to get? •Why is reading slowly through a text not always a successful reading strategy? •Why is it often important to read only parts of a text?
