Reading is an active process that enables you to develop your subject knowledge and find evidence that you can use in your academic studies.
This section will help you to further develop your reading skills by introducing you to strategies that you can use to help you quickly read different information sources to identify those that you need to focus on and read in detail.
Critical Reading and Writing for Postgraduates by
Reading critically, and writing using critical techniques, are crucial skills you need to apply to your academic work. If you need to engage with published (or unpublished) literature such as essays, dissertations or theses, research papers or oral presentations, this proven guide helps you develop a reflective and advanced critical approach to your research and writing. New to this edition: Two new chapters on basic and advanced writing skills More advice on self-bias and perception Updates and additional examples throughout Updated online resources providing additional support. A Companion Website provides additional resources to help you apply the critical techniques you learn. From templates and checklists, access to SAGE journal articles and additional case studies, these free resources will make sure you successfully master advanced critical skills.
How to Use Your Reading in Your Essays by
Reading is part and parcel of academic writing, and knowing which sources to include in assignments and how to go about this process can be challenging. That's where this handy guide comes in. With over 20 years' experience in the field, Jeanne Godfrey is no stranger to essay writing. Taking students step-by-step through the process, from choosing their sources to checking their work, she helps students to develop the skills and confidence they need to use their reading effectively in their essays and get the best marks possible for their work. Concise and practical, it breaks down the 'why' and 'how' of using reading in academic writing and contains valuable guidance on paraphrasing, comparing the views of different authors and commenting on sources. This book is ideal for students of all disciplines, and can be used by college students, undergraduates and postgraduates.New to this Edition:- Part A contains new sections on how to target your reading, remain focused and know when to stop reading- New section on how to use reading in reports, supported by short report extracts- New two-colour text design to enliven the reading experience and make the text more accessibleAccompanying online resources for this title can be found at bloomsburyonlineresources.com/how-to-use-your-reading-in-your-essays-3e. These resources are designed to support teaching and learning when using this textbook and are available at no extra cost.
Critical Thinking Skills by
Written by internationally renowned author Stella Cottrell, this is an essential resource for students looking to refine their thinking, reading and writing skills. Stella Cottrell's student-centred approach demystifies critical thinking and breaks down a complex subject into manageable chunks. With clear explanations, relevant examples and plenty of exercises throughout, this book helps students to develop their analytical reasoning skills and apply them to a range of tasks including reading, note-making and writing. This text will turn even the most hesitant student into a proficient critical thinker.This is an ideal companion for students of study skills, humanities, social sciences, business and arts programmes, where assessment includes essay and report writing. It is suitable for students of all levels. New to this Edition:- Brand new chapter on critical thinking and employability- Includes a wider range of examples to highlight the variety of contexts in which critical thinking can be used- Coverage of both academic and professional forms of critical writingAccompanying online resources for this title can be found at bloomsburyonlineresources.com/critical-thinking-skills. These resources are designed to support teaching and learning when using this textbook and are available at no extra cost.
LinkedIn Learning provides BPP students with access to free online courses which includes Reading Critically
O’Reilly provides BPP students with access to e-books and online videos which includes Phil Chambers (2015) Improve Your Speed Reading Skills
It is important that you think about what information you need to find and your knowledge of the subject to ensure that you choose items that are current and relevant. The number of items that you need to read will depend on the task and your knowledge of the subject. it is likely that you will need to ready more items for an assessed assignment than if you are reading for background information before a lecture.
Books and e-books can provide you with an introduction to a subject and provide you with an summary of the main issues. Whilst academic journal articles will provide you with information on the latest research and theories.
You could begin your search by reading items that are relevant to your topic which are listed on your reading list. The library provides access to a range of print and online resources and you can access and search for different resources using the links that are available on the Online Library website.
Scanning is when you read information quite quickly by looking for a specific word or phrase to discover if the information is appropriate
You may use this technique when you are search for journal articles on a particular subject to identify the ones that are relevant to your assignment title.
Skimming is when you read information fairly quickly to gain an overview of a book chapter or journal article.
If you are skimming a journal article reading the journal abstract, introduction and conclusion will help you to decide if the journal article is relevant.
Close reading is when you slowly read information to understand and reflect on what is written. You may need to read sections more than once to understand the main arguments.
Critical reading is an active process which involves asking questions whilst you are reading an information source to identify how the author develops their argument and evaluate the strength of the research. For example, you could consider:
The SQ3R method provides a framework that you could use to help you understand and remember information. It involves the following five stages:
You are likely to spend a lot of time reading information and research online which if done for a large amount of time can lead to health issues such as blurred vision and headaches. The following tips may help:
When you are reading a number of information sources it can be difficult to monitor and maintain a record of the items you have read.
You could keep create a document or spreadsheet to keep a list of the sources, email the reference details to yourself or use reference management software. There is also free referencing software available that you can download such as Zotero and Mendeley which enable you to upload and create a library of the information sources that you have read.
Click here to access the Introduction to Zotero online video.
The following online videos will provide you with information regarding using Generative AI tools in your assignments: