Study Skills – Reading difficult texts

Studying.

It can feel like you’re

in an ocean,

lost in a sea of books

and resources.

And when you finally

find the right one,

reading it is mysterious.

It’s full of new things.

It’s intimidating.

You need a map.

You need to know

why you’re reading.

And you need to

read in different ways:

quickly and slowly,

for different purposes.

What’s your purpose?

Maybe you’re just

looking for information

on one specific thing.

For example: pirates!

Are you reading

for an exam?

If so,

check which

bits of the course

are being tested.

Or for an assignment?

Look at the question,

so you can focus

your reading.

With your purpose in mind,

you need

an efficient reading strategy.

First,

use these tips to

get a quick idea

of the text:

Have a quick look

at the contents page.

Found what you’re looking for?

Great.

Now, here’s a good tip:

read the conclusions first.

It’s not cheating.

Time is precious.

Look at headings,

images and summaries.

And learn to

skim and scan.

Skimming is just

reading quickly.

If you see a word or phrase

that looks important,

you can slow down

and read

in more detail.

Scanning means looking

for specific words,

phrases,

acronyms

and numbers in the text.

Now you’ve got

a better idea of the text,

take your time

to read relevant sections.

This time,

take notes as you go.

Try to really

understand what you’re reading.

Think about it:

do you agree with it?

Does it raise more questions?

Keep a dictionary

or glossary beside

you, to look up

key terms.

And don’t give up.

Remember, reading difficult texts

can be intimidating,

but with practice,

you’ll get better.

And if you keep going,

you’ll find treasure

buried in the text.

Even if it isn’t

a chest full of gold coins.