Smart Reading Strategies
Webinar Presentation
How to use this recording
• Watch
• Do activities
• Webinar slides & further resources:
http://tinyurl.com/slideswebinar
Goals of this webinar
Learn how to:
• Skim and scan a text
• Read for in-depth understanding
• Read critically
• Synthesise information from a variety of sources
From: http://thetombrauch.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/bookpile.jpg
Reading for different purposes
What is my purpose for reading?
How would you read a text if it was:
• A class textbook reading for this week?
• A possible source of information for an assignment?
• A book you want to read for your own interest?
The key to academic reading is to work out what you will read in
detail and what you will skim and scan for the information you
really need.
The academic reading process
Skim to get an overall impression
Scan to look for specific information
Read closely, highlight key information and make notes (but only where
you need to!)
Relate this information to other sources and your own experience
Skimming to get an overall impression
Skimming will help you:
• identify the main ideas
• understand the structure of the text
• work out whether a text is relevant for an assignment
What should you look at when skimming a book or article?
• The front and back cover
• Abstract/Introduction
• Contents page
• Headings and sub-headings
• Terms in bold or italics
• The first sentence of each paragraph
• Diagrams / charts / graphs / tables
Activity 1: Skimming to get an overall impression
Skim the cover and
publishing details page
of this book.
Read and highlight the:
• title
• author
• year of publication
• publication details
What does this
information tell you?
Activity 1: Skimming to get an overall impression (continued)
Now skim the contents page of the
book.
1. What do you notice about the
structure of the text?
2. Would this text be a suitable source
of information for an assignment
on conflict styles and conflict
resolution skills?
Scanning for specific information
Scanning is used to:
• look for specific information, such as key terms or specific data
• find selected sections of importance
• find specific information for a particular assignment question
How can you be ‘active’ with the text while scanning?
• Highlight , underline, or circle words and phrases
• Jot ideas, comments and questions in the margins
• Make summary notes
• Mark the relevant sections of a page with a post-it
• Develop a system that shows which sections are
most important/ relevant
Activity 2: Scanning for specific information
For your assignment, you
want to mention some of
the reasons why conflict
can be good.
Quickly scan this section of
the text to see if there is
any relevant information.
Possibly use
as a quote
Reading for in-depth understanding
Reading in detail means understanding what the author is claiming in each paragraph.
• What is the core idea or argument?
• What evidence or explanation is used to support these points?
To gain a good understanding of the information in a paragraph:
• Take note of topic sentence; it should tell you what
the paragraph is about.
• Then examine sentence by sentence, looking
for how the main idea is explained and/or
supported.
• Focus on the linking words to help recognise
how the ideas are organised.
Activity 3: Reading for in-depth understanding
Closely read the paragraph.
• Read the topic sentence
carefully.
• Read the remainder of
the paragraph, noting
any linking words.
• Reread the paragraph.
What is the writer
claiming?
Reading critically
You will also need to read critically, which means gaining a deeper understanding of the
material and see that there are layers of meaning within a text.
Applied
Interpretive
Literal
What is literally in the
text
What is inferred in the
text (i.e. reading
between the lines)
Applying an
understanding beyond
the text
Activity 4: Reading critically
Think about how the information you have just read could be applied to the bigger
picture of what you are studying.
1.
Why is it important to understand conflict in your profession?
2.
In what ways might you improve your own approach to managing and
resolving conflict?
Synthesising information
Synthesising involves combining ideas from a range of sources in order to group and
present ideas, themes and issues in a logical manner.
One way to make connections between texts and ideas is to mind map. Do you have
any other strategies?
Sample mind map
Personal growth (book 1 and article 2)
Healthy conflict
Bonding experience (book 1 and article 1)
The six common approaches (book 1 and
article 2)
Approaches to
conflict
Conflict
approaches/styles
My approach to conflict (link to info in previous
paragraph)
Communication (book 1 and article 3)
Conflict resolution
strategies (linked to
approaches)
Negotiation (book 1 and article 4)
How I can develop my skills and how this will
benefit me personally and professionally
Using your reading in your writing
1.
Brainstorm the issues related to your topic.
2.
Read widely on the topic, focusing on the issues relevant to your assignment.
3.
Make notes in your own words about what each text says about the issues.
4.
Look for common ideas in texts. Use colours to highlight similarities.
5.
Create a mind map and group ideas together. This makes it easier to compare the
content of the various texts.
6.
Decide on a logical order for the information and ideas you want to include in your
writing.
7.
Draft your paragraph(s) on the issue using your notes. Use a topic sentence to
introduce the theme and then used the synthesised information to develop your
ideas. Make sure you reference your sources.
Final tip #1: Read actively and review regularly
• Quiz yourself on the main points
• Connect the information with what you already know
• Relate the new information to your own personal experience
• Mind map the ideas and continue to build the mind map
• Write a summary what you read – try doing this without looking!
• Explain the information to yourself or a friend
• Ask questions about the information - What do I already know about this topic ?
Does the information I’m reading fit with what I know? Is this information going to
be useful to me? What don’t I understand? What doesn’t this text tell me that I
want to know?
Final tip #2: Use a reading log
Main points (paraphrased)
Notes (can include quotations
with page number)
Reactions, ideas, questions, confusions
Final tip #3: Use reading to learn how to write
You can use reading to develop your writing skills. If you are uncertain how to write
introductions or conclusions or use topic sentences, watch carefully as you read. You
can also learn how to write developed paragraphs, or how to incorporate references
and quotes well by reading and observing these skills.
More help and information
Information on reading strategies
http://www.mindtools.com/rdstratg.html
http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/studyskills/studyskills/reading.html
Student Learning Support website
http://learningsupport.acap.edu.au
Help with study
Contact the Learning Support Team:
Sydney and online students contact:
(02) 8236 8062 or (02) 8236 8051 / learningsupportsyd@acap.edu.au
Melbourne and Adelaide students contact:
(03) 8613 0626 / supportmelb@acap.edu.au
Brisbane students contact:
(07) 3234 4405 / supportbris@acap.edu.au