Reading for Information: Skills and Strategies PDF

WEEK TWO (2) Reading for Information: Skills and Strategies 1  Reading for Information Why reading? Reading is one of the main activities in the academic discourse community. Generally, one’s writing is informed by one’s readin...

WEEK TWO (2) Reading for Information: Skills and Strategies 1  Reading for Information Why reading? Reading is one of the main activities in the academic discourse community. Generally, one’s writing is informed by one’s reading; thus, there is a direct relationship between reading and writing, as indicated in the slides for week one — Lecture 1. Students read to retrieve information for essays, assignments, presentations, seminars, and examinations. 2  Reading for Information Course reading lists Students are normally provided with reading lists from their various courses. Each reading list contains recommended reading materials for the course. Students are therefore required to read on topics in their courses from the materials on the reading lists. 3  Reading for Information Sources of reading Recommended reading materials on a reading list may include sources such as textbooks (including e-books), journal articles, reports, magazines, newspapers, online materials, etc. Students may use library catalogues (including online catalogues) to find sources. 4  Reading for Information Reading methods/techniques There are various techniques and methods of reading. The discussion that follows introduces students to some reading methods and techniques. 5  Reading for Information Skimming reading technique Skimming is a quick method of reading aimed at finding general information. Skimming is a way to get the most out of what you read in the shortest time. 6  Reading for Information Skimming When searching for an appropriate material to read, the skimming method will give you a general sense of a material you have to read and tell you whether or not that material is useful. In other words, skimming can be used in finding and assessing a reading material. Skimming could also form part of studying. 7  Reading for Information Skimming In skimming, the reader does not read the entire material; he or she reads selected parts of the material to get an overview of the information. 8  Reading for Information Items to include in Skimming In skimming a textbook or a journal article for instance, one may read the following parts: – Titles and subtitles: It gives you a good idea of the subject matter. – Table of contents: It gives a review of the specific subjects covered in the book. – Foreword/preface: to find out the purpose of the book – Copyright page: It tells you the date and place of publication. If you need very current information, the date of publication may tell you how old a book is. 9  Reading for Information Items to include in Skimming – Headings and subheadings – Introductions – Illustrations (diagrams, charts, graphs, tables, pictures, etc.) – Topic sentences – Conclusions – Occasionally, read a small section that looks important. It may deal with what you really want to know. Reading these items will help one get an overview of the information. 10  Reading for Information Scanning reading technique Scanning is a quick method of reading aimed at locating specific information, such as: – Definition/ explanation of terminology – Date of an event – Meaning of an expression – Spelling of a word 11  Reading for Information Looking up the definition or spelling of a word in a dictionary, finding a date on a calendar, Scanning finding an address in an address book, finding a phone number in a telephone directory; all reading could be described as scanning since the aim technique is to locate specific information. In textbooks and some other materials, one can use the index pages to facilitate scanning. 12  Reading for Information Close reading is a thoughtful, critical analysis of a text that focuses on significant details or patterns in order to develop a deep, precise understanding of the text’s form, style and Close meaning. Close reading is a skill that requires students to reading determine purpose and notice features and language used by the author so that they can think attentively and methodically about the details in the text and why such details were used. 13  Reading for Information In close reading, the reader observes facts and details about the text Close interprets the observed details notices some features about the text reading annotates items by highlighting and underlining asks questions about the text 14  Reading for Information SQ3R study technique (Source: Goepfert, P.S. (1982). The Communication Handbook, Ontario: Nelson Canada) The SQ3R method of studying helps you to know what parts of a reading material are important to remember. It also helps you to retain all the important information. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. 15  Reading for Information Survey Quickly skim the information you are about to read by looking over the headings and subheadings in the chapter to see the few SQ3R central points that will be developed. Then read the summary paragraph if the chapter has one. This survey should take a minute or two. It will reveal the central ideas in the chapter and will help to organize those ideas. 16  Reading for Information Question Turn the first heading into a question that has to be answered. It will bring to mind information that you already know and SQ3R will also help you to understand that section more quickly. The question will also make points in the section stand out, because they will be important in the answer to the question. 17  Reading for Information Read This is close reading, and it is best done along with notetaking. SQ3R As you read, pay attention to details that will enable you to answer the questions. Bear in mind that you are making an active search for information. 18  Reading for Information Recite/Recall Now that you have read the first section, put the book aside and try to answer briefly (from memory) the question you asked earlier. Use SQ3R your own words and try to give examples. If you can do this, you have learned the material. If you cannot, look over the section again. A good way is to jot down some key phrases, perhaps in outline form, on a sheet of paper. 19  Reading for Information Now repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 with each section of the chapter. Phrase each heading as a question, read the section SQ3R to answer the question, and recite the answer by writing down the key phrases. Go through the whole chapter this way. 20  Reading for Information Review When you finish the chapter, glance over your notes to get an overview of the points and their relationship to one another. Check SQ3R your memory of the content by stating the points under every heading. Do this by covering the notes and trying to recall the headings. Then uncover each heading and try to recall the points listed under it. 21  Reading for Information SQ3R These five steps of the SQ3R method should result in effective reading and help you to remember the important points in a reading assignment. You will also find that quizzes in class will be easier with this method because the headings turned into questions are usually the points stressed in quizzes. 22  Reading for Information Vocabulary: Prefixes and Suffixes Understanding the meaning of prefixes and suffixes helps to improve vocabulary which further helps to improve reading and comprehension. A prefix is added to the beginning of a word. A suffix is added to the end of a word. 23  Reading for Information Prefixes Prefix Meaning Example words a- without amoral, atheist, amorphous, alogical dis- negation; absence of Disintegrate, disarm, disagree, disclose mis- wrongly misconduct, misinform, miscarry, misunderstand pre- before preview, preamble, predetermine, prefix re- once more reassure, reiterate, reorganize, recycle semi- partly semicircle, semi-detached, semivowel, semiquaver 24  Reading for Information Suffixes Suffix Meaning Example words -er one who performs teacher, singer, reader, performer -ful to be full of powerful, awful, useful, harmful -hood a condition or state neighbourhood, childhood, falsehood -ish having a quality or characteristic of blackish, foolish, stylish, Jewish, -less without careless, wireless, needless, painless -ness a state of being happiness, consciousness, conciseness, illness 25