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Strategies For Reading Academic Texts
Strategies For Reading Academic Texts
Before reading
Each reason will influence the way you read e.g. quickly or slowly, looking for
fact or opinion.
4. Write down what you would like to find out from the text. You could write
actual questions you would like answers to.
5. Make a note of words or phrases connected with the topic that you may find
in the text.
Reading
1. Survey the text: read the first and last paragraphs and the beginning and
final sentences of the other paragraphs.
a. If you are looking for specific information, read the part where you think
the information will be.
b. If you want a general idea of the whole text, read the whole text.
You should now have a general idea of what the text is about and if it is going
to be useful for you. Does it answer the question(s) you asked?
4. Do a second more careful reading, marking any new words that are
important for your understanding.
Check on the main idea and revise what you wrote if necessary.
Decide what the subsidiary ideas are. How do they relate to the main idea?
Put all the ideas together in linear notes, or as a mind map.
Vocabulary
try to guess the meaning using word function, context (immediate and
wider) and word form
Difficult sentences
After reading
1. Make a list of the new words which you think will be useful for you in the
future. Give:
How does it fit into what you already think and know?
Does it confirm your ideas, add to them, conflict with them?
If there are opinions, do you agree or disagree with them?