Reading techniques
Ask yourself these questions – Do I…
- Consider the questions I want to answer?
- Think about what information I need?
- Use the recommended reading list?
- Know what I need to read?
- Make sure something is relevant/up to date?
- Use contents pages & identify specific chapters of a book?
- Use headings/sub-headings for guidance?
- Read first sentence of paragraphs?
- Use highlighters for important information?
- Make notes?
- Think about what I’m reading?
- Challenge a writer’s logic/assumptions?
- Predict what’s coming next?
- Change pace according to need?
- Scan for specific information?
- Read best from screen or paper?
- Read when I’m awake and alert enough?
- Create the right conditions for reading?
Techniques for speed reading
As reading is such an important activity, it is worth reflecting on different reading techniques and when to use them. Skimming and scanning are the two main trusted techniques for getting through a lot of reading quickly. This doesn’t just mean quickly looking through a text but involves specific steps.
This involves getting an overall impression of a piece of text without undertaking any detailed reading. To do this you would look quickly through the contents of a chapter or a journal article paying particular attention to any headings and sub-headings and perhaps read the introduction and conclusion.
Skimming is useful if you are trying to decide whether a book, specific chapter or journal article would be useful to read in more depth. or reviewing a text you’ve rea before.
Steps for skimming:
- Read titles, subtitles and headings
- Read the first paragraph
- Look for proper nouns, numbers, signpost words indicating importance and words in bold/italics
- Read the final paragraph
This technique is used when you are searching for a specific piece of information, for example, looking in the index of a book.
Scanning involves:
- Looking over a text quickly for certain information
- Keeping in mind what you are looking for
- Identifying what you are looking for (e.g. a number, noun, etc.)
- Letting your eyes run quickly over several lines at a time
- Reading the complete sentence when you think you’ve found the information
You don’t need to read or understand everything – the aim is just to locate what you’re looking for.
It’s useful to look at basic information before you decide whether a text will be useful.
For example, look at:
- Titles/sub-titles
- Details of author
- Date of publication and edition (is it the most recent edition?)
- Abstract
- Foreword/introduction/preface
- Contents/index
- References
- Blurb – the information on the back cover of a book
- Reviewer’s comments – is it recommended? who for?
Intensive reading methods – SQ3R
Survey, question, read, recall and review
This method can greatly help with intensive reading.
Survey: Note down the full details of the source you are reading (author, title etc.) Have a quick look through the book or chapter or article to get a rough idea what it is about. If it is a book, have a look at the contents page and index.
Question: Think about the questions you are trying to answer after reading this piece of text. The survey you have just done and your own needs, for example, an assignment title, will help you do this.
Read: Once you have some useful questions, then it becomes easier to find the answers to your questions and read those bits carefully, perhaps making a few notes.
Recall: Write down the answers to all your questions without looking back at the piece of text or your notes.
Review: Return to the piece of text and check your answers are correct. Go over anything incorrect or which could not be answered and amend your notes.
Using this method will help you to read actively and to make notes in your own words.
Remember to write down the details of all the books, articles and websites you use so they can be referenced and returned to.
Things to think about
Before embarking on your reading think about the following:
- What is the purpose for your reading?
- Do you need a general understanding?
- Are you looking for specific information?
- Do you need to get a detailed understanding of the text?
- What questions am I trying to answer?
This will help you to focus your reading and to read actively. You want to avoid a situation where you start to read something and then realise that you have read a page without taking anything in!