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Effective reading

Developing the skill of reading academic texts takes time, practice, and the use of effective strategies. 

When ‘readings’, ‘texts’ or ‘sources’ are mentioned at university, this refers to a variety of materials including textbooks, journal articles, book chapters, reports, and more. See below for tips and strategies to help you read faster, understand more, and focus on what matters.  

Top tips for effective reading

1. You do not need to read every single sentence or read everything from start to finish

2. You are not expected to understand everything you read the first time you read it.

3. If a text is challenging, take a break or switch sections. You can return to it later or discuss it with your tutor and/or classmates. 

4. Read with purpose, decide why you are reading and what you want to achieve. Are you looking for specific information for an assignment? Are you trying to understand a new idea? Do you need a general overview of a topic? Do you need to remember key facts for an exam?

5. When you read, consider your environment and time allocated to the task. You may zone out after two hours or get distracted in noisy settings. Understanding and adapting to your study patterns will help you engage better with what you’re reading. 

Step-by-step strategy for effective reading

 Step 1: Identify your purpose for reading

Before starting to read, identify and write down your purpose. This helps you engage more actively and effectively with the text.  
For example, you could write: 

  • ‘I need to have a general understanding of the main points in this journal article before my next tutorial.’   
  • ‘For this essay, I need to find how the idea I’m focusing on (e.g. ‘generative AI’; ‘public health’; ‘human-centred design’) is defined in this textbook chapter.’ 

While reading, refer back to your written purpose to ensure the text meets your goals. This will help you stay on track. 
Step 2: Search Reading at university necessitates quickly evaluating texts for their usefulness to you. To determine whether a text is relevant for your purposes, you need to predict what information the text will provide. Quickly read the title, abstract, keywords and headings. If the text doesn’t seem helpful (think about Step 1), do not keep reading.
Step 3: Skim Skim quickly over the text to identify its main ideas. Read the introduction in full if it is short. Focus on section headings, topic sentences, and the conclusion.
Step 4: Select Use the information gathered in steps 1-3 to decide whether it is useful for you to read the entire text or a few key sections. If it doesn’t seem necessary to read the whole text from beginning to end, just focus on reading the important and relevant sections.  
Step 5: Study Do a detailed reading of the entire text or important sections you selected in Step 4. You may need to read the text a few times to fully comprehend it. Take notes to remember important points relevant to your assignments and exams.  

Also refer to Reading strategies for University printable guide.

There is no ‘right way’ to read texts. At university you will find yourself engaging with a variety of texts for a variety of purposes.

Reading 'critically'

An essential part of reading at university is reading ‘critically’. It is a skill that university students need to develop and practice over time. This means asking yourself questions about the text while you are reading it, like: 

    • What does my lecturer want me to learn from this text?
    • What is the key argument, finding, or conclusion of this text?
    • Why and how is the author drawing this conclusion? What evidence are they using? Is this credible evidence?
    • What are the stated and unstated assumptions in this information?
    • Are there any perspectives on this issue missing here?
    • Is this argument or finding similar to or different from other texts I’ve read? (Take note of this – this will likely be valuable for your assignments).
    • How does this connect to my own ideas and understanding of the topic?  

Note: being ‘critical’ at university does not mean being negative and harsh. It means carefully evaluating ideas, arguments, theories, sources and evidence, considering information from multiple angles, and challenging assumptions, both yours and others. 

References

Monash University Student Academic Success n.d., Reading critically, Monash University Student Academic Success, viewed 1 November 2024.

Monash University Student Academic Success n.d., Read more effectively, Monash University Student Academic Success, viewed 1 November 2024.

Robin, FP 1946, Effective Study (6th ed.), Harper & Row, New York.

The University of Melbourne Academic Skills n.d., Reading critically, The University of Melbourne Academic Skills, viewed 1 November 2024.

UNSW Academic Skills n.d., Tips for effective reading, UNSW Academic Skills, viewed 1 November 2024.