INTRODUCTION TO

WRITING AND READING

AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL
 Reading:
An essential practice at University

Reading in HE is a core activity.

You should consider reading an essential

practice, just like having the necessary
vitamins or water in your diet.
Reading Skills
Comprehension

Analysis

Interpretation

Evaluation
Reading and ‘Research’

Research Reading is a ‘research’ activity

We research to gain knowledge,

Knowledge but also to produce new
knowledge

Collecting, analysing and

Inquiry and discovery
evaluating sources
But reading and researching is difficult…

Gathering information is
challenging; you will come
across new ideas, new
words and technical
language, which can be
difficult to navigate and
piece together.
Reading Strategies

Cottrell (2013) identifies a range of reading

strategies:
• Start with something general
• Monitor your comprehension
• Guide your reading
• Re-read difficult passages
• Highlight key words and phrases
• Colour-code information
• Ask ‘depth questions’
• Relaxed reading
Surface Reading: Quicker Pace

looking at a text for key

Scanning
words/phrases

reading a whole text quickly to

Skimming locate the main points and
ideas
Deep Reading: Slower Pace

Intentionally reading at a Asking questions along

slower pace the way

Making comparisons to
Making detailed notes
other texts
Class Activity 1.

SCAN THROUGH THE AS1 ASSIGNMENT BRIEF (PAGE CLASS DISCUSSION

1 – 3 AND 9 -12) IN ASSESSMENT AND SUBMISSION
FOLDER, NOTING KEY WORDS AND PHRASES.
 • Go to the university award map – click on
your course of study (
https://www.northampton.ac.uk/caf/singho
n2023.html
)
• Choose 2 modules each from first year (stage
1b), second year and third year of your
Activity 2 course.
• Create a new document – save as AS1 draft
• Write/type the selected modules in the new
document.
• Research.
References (for all three videos):
Chatfield, T. (2018) Critical Thinking: Your Guide to Effective Argument,
Successful Analysis and Independent Study. London: SAGE.

Cottrell, S. (2013) The Study Skills Handbook. (4th edn.) London: Palgrave
Macmillan.

Cottrell, S. (2017) Critical Thinking Skills: Effective Analysis, Argument and

Reflection. (3rd edn.) London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Lagarde, J. and Hudgins, D. (2018) Fact vs Fiction: Teaching Critical

Thinking Skills in the Age of Fake News. USA: International Society for
Technology in Education.