Name: Christian Jay E. Ligutom GRADE:11 TVL-ICT Fundamentals of Reading Academic Text
Name: Christian Jay E. Ligutom GRADE:11 TVL-ICT Fundamentals of Reading Academic Text
Name: Christian Jay E. Ligutom GRADE:11 TVL-ICT Fundamentals of Reading Academic Text
Reading is fundamental to writing and research at University, but often gets overlooked – lecturers assume that students know how
to read, and students assume there’s only one way to read – but neither of these things is necessarily true! There are ways to read
that can improve information processing, can help with building an argument, and importantly for many students, can save lots of
Casual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged
to do in their free time because it can be both educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read
resources that have particular value in the context of a course. Why is academic reading beneficial?
Information comes from reputable sources: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not
all are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an
opinion or sell you something. Academic sources such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles, on the other hand, are
usually written by experts in the field and have to pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.
Learn how to form arguments: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you to write a
paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal of the paper is to research a topic and develop
an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position. Since many college reading assignments
(especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you’ll gain experience studying their strategies and learning to
emulate them.
Exposure to different viewpoints: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different
viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked to read a series of articles written by medical
professionals and religious leaders who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such
experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others’
views differ from your own.
Recall from the Active Learning section that effective reading requires more engagement than just reading the words on the page. In
order to learn and retain what you read, it’s a good idea to do things like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively
reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing the following
steps will get you up to speed:
Preview: You can gain insight from an academic text before you even begin the reading assignment. For example, if you
are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can
give you an initial idea of what you’ll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it. You can also start to make
connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.
Read: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write
questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a
personal connection with the subject matter.
Summarize: After you an read academic text, it’s worth taking the time to write a short summary—even if your instructor
doesn’t require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the
reading is enormously beneficial: it not only helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and
review materials for exams and other writing assignments.
Review: It always helps to revisit what you’ve read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread
assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it’s a good idea to skim through them to identify the
main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you’ve written.
Name: RAYJAM L. NIEGAS GRADE:11 TVL-ICT
Reading is fundamental to writing and research at University, but often gets overlooked – lecturers assume that students know how
to read, and students assume there’s only one way to read – but neither of these things is necessarily true! There are ways to read
that can improve information processing, can help with building an argument, and importantly for many students, can save lots of
Casual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged
to do in their free time because it can be both educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read
resources that have particular value in the context of a course. Why is academic reading beneficial?
Information comes from reputable sources: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not
all are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an
opinion or sell you something. Academic sources such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles, on the other hand, are
usually written by experts in the field and have to pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.
Learn how to form arguments: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you to write a
paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal of the paper is to research a topic and develop
an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position. Since many college reading assignments
(especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you’ll gain experience studying their strategies and learning to
emulate them.
Exposure to different viewpoints: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different
viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked to read a series of articles written by medical
professionals and religious leaders who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such
experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others’
views differ from your own.
Recall from the Active Learning section that effective reading requires more engagement than just reading the words on the page. In
order to learn and retain what you read, it’s a good idea to do things like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively
reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing the following
steps will get you up to speed:
Preview: You can gain insight from an academic text before you even begin the reading assignment. For example, if you
are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can
give you an initial idea of what you’ll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it. You can also start to make
connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.
Read: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write
questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a
personal connection with the subject matter.
Summarize: After you an read academic text, it’s worth taking the time to write a short summary—even if your instructor
doesn’t require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the
reading is enormously beneficial: it not only helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and
review materials for exams and other writing assignments.
Review: It always helps to revisit what you’ve read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread
assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it’s a good idea to skim through them to identify the
main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you’ve written.
Name: JOSEPH M. CALAMBA GRADE:11 TVL-ICT
Reading is fundamental to writing and research at University, but often gets overlooked – lecturers assume that students know how
to read, and students assume there’s only one way to read – but neither of these things is necessarily true! There are ways to read
that can improve information processing, can help with building an argument, and importantly for many students, can save lots of
Casual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged
to do in their free time because it can be both educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read
resources that have particular value in the context of a course. Why is academic reading beneficial?
Information comes from reputable sources: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not
all are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an
opinion or sell you something. Academic sources such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles, on the other hand, are
usually written by experts in the field and have to pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.
Learn how to form arguments: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you to write a
paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal of the paper is to research a topic and develop
an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position. Since many college reading assignments
(especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you’ll gain experience studying their strategies and learning to
emulate them.
Exposure to different viewpoints: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different
viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked to read a series of articles written by medical
professionals and religious leaders who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such
experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others’
views differ from your own.
Recall from the Active Learning section that effective reading requires more engagement than just reading the words on the page. In
order to learn and retain what you read, it’s a good idea to do things like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively
reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing the following
steps will get you up to speed:
Preview: You can gain insight from an academic text before you even begin the reading assignment. For example, if you
are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can
give you an initial idea of what you’ll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it. You can also start to make
connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.
Read: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write
questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a
personal connection with the subject matter.
Summarize: After you an read academic text, it’s worth taking the time to write a short summary—even if your instructor
doesn’t require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the
reading is enormously beneficial: it not only helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and
review materials for exams and other writing assignments.
Review: It always helps to revisit what you’ve read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread
assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it’s a good idea to skim through them to identify the
main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you’ve written.
Name: JEFF MARK COYUS GRADE:11 TVL-ICT
Reading is fundamental to writing and research at University, but often gets overlooked – lecturers assume that students know how
to read, and students assume there’s only one way to read – but neither of these things is necessarily true! There are ways to read
that can improve information processing, can help with building an argument, and importantly for many students, can save lots of
Casual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged
to do in their free time because it can be both educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read
resources that have particular value in the context of a course. Why is academic reading beneficial?
Information comes from reputable sources: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not
all are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an
opinion or sell you something. Academic sources such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles, on the other hand, are
usually written by experts in the field and have to pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.
Learn how to form arguments: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you to write a
paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal of the paper is to research a topic and develop
an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position. Since many college reading assignments
(especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you’ll gain experience studying their strategies and learning to
emulate them.
Exposure to different viewpoints: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different
viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked to read a series of articles written by medical
professionals and religious leaders who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such
experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others’
views differ from your own.
Recall from the Active Learning section that effective reading requires more engagement than just reading the words on the page. In
order to learn and retain what you read, it’s a good idea to do things like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively
reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing the following
steps will get you up to speed:
Preview: You can gain insight from an academic text before you even begin the reading assignment. For example, if you
are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can
give you an initial idea of what you’ll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it. You can also start to make
connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.
Read: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write
questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a
personal connection with the subject matter.
Summarize: After you an read academic text, it’s worth taking the time to write a short summary—even if your instructor
doesn’t require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the
reading is enormously beneficial: it not only helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and
review materials for exams and other writing assignments.
Review: It always helps to revisit what you’ve read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread
assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it’s a good idea to skim through them to identify the
main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you’ve written.
Name: MARIA CHRISTINA H. DOMECILLO GRADE:11 TVL-ICT
Reading is fundamental to writing and research at University, but often gets overlooked – lecturers assume that students know how
to read, and students assume there’s only one way to read – but neither of these things is necessarily true! There are ways to read
that can improve information processing, can help with building an argument, and importantly for many students, can save lots of
Casual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged
to do in their free time because it can be both educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read
resources that have particular value in the context of a course. Why is academic reading beneficial?
Information comes from reputable sources: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not
all are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an
opinion or sell you something. Academic sources such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles, on the other hand, are
usually written by experts in the field and have to pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.
Learn how to form arguments: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you to write a
paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal of the paper is to research a topic and develop
an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position. Since many college reading assignments
(especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you’ll gain experience studying their strategies and learning to
emulate them.
Exposure to different viewpoints: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different
viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked to read a series of articles written by medical
professionals and religious leaders who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such
experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others’
views differ from your own.
Recall from the Active Learning section that effective reading requires more engagement than just reading the words on the page. In
order to learn and retain what you read, it’s a good idea to do things like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively
reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing the following
steps will get you up to speed:
Preview: You can gain insight from an academic text before you even begin the reading assignment. For example, if you
are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can
give you an initial idea of what you’ll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it. You can also start to make
connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.
Read: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write
questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a
personal connection with the subject matter.
Summarize: After you an read academic text, it’s worth taking the time to write a short summary—even if your instructor
doesn’t require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the
reading is enormously beneficial: it not only helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and
review materials for exams and other writing assignments.
Review: It always helps to revisit what you’ve read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread
assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it’s a good idea to skim through them to identify the
main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you’ve written.
Name: KEITH CLAIRE T. MAGSAYO GRADE:11 TVL-ICT
Reading is fundamental to writing and research at University, but often gets overlooked – lecturers assume that students know how
to read, and students assume there’s only one way to read – but neither of these things is necessarily true! There are ways to read
that can improve information processing, can help with building an argument, and importantly for many students, can save lots of
Casual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged
to do in their free time because it can be both educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read
resources that have particular value in the context of a course. Why is academic reading beneficial?
Information comes from reputable sources: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not
all are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an
opinion or sell you something. Academic sources such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles, on the other hand, are
usually written by experts in the field and have to pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.
Learn how to form arguments: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you to write a
paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal of the paper is to research a topic and develop
an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position. Since many college reading assignments
(especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you’ll gain experience studying their strategies and learning to
emulate them.
Exposure to different viewpoints: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different
viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked to read a series of articles written by medical
professionals and religious leaders who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such
experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others’
views differ from your own.
Recall from the Active Learning section that effective reading requires more engagement than just reading the words on the page. In
order to learn and retain what you read, it’s a good idea to do things like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively
reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing the following
steps will get you up to speed:
Preview: You can gain insight from an academic text before you even begin the reading assignment. For example, if you
are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can
give you an initial idea of what you’ll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it. You can also start to make
connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.
Read: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write
questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a
personal connection with the subject matter.
Summarize: After you an read academic text, it’s worth taking the time to write a short summary—even if your instructor
doesn’t require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the
reading is enormously beneficial: it not only helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and
review materials for exams and other writing assignments.
Review: It always helps to revisit what you’ve read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread
assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it’s a good idea to skim through them to identify the
main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you’ve written.
Name: JO EARL R. GULLLEBAN GRADE:11 TVL-ICT
Reading is fundamental to writing and research at University, but often gets overlooked – lecturers assume that students know how
to read, and students assume there’s only one way to read – but neither of these things is necessarily true! There are ways to read
that can improve information processing, can help with building an argument, and importantly for many students, can save lots of
Casual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged
to do in their free time because it can be both educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read
resources that have particular value in the context of a course. Why is academic reading beneficial?
Information comes from reputable sources: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not
all are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an
opinion or sell you something. Academic sources such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles, on the other hand, are
usually written by experts in the field and have to pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.
Learn how to form arguments: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you to write a
paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal of the paper is to research a topic and develop
an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position. Since many college reading assignments
(especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you’ll gain experience studying their strategies and learning to
emulate them.
Exposure to different viewpoints: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different
viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked to read a series of articles written by medical
professionals and religious leaders who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such
experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others’
views differ from your own.
Recall from the Active Learning section that effective reading requires more engagement than just reading the words on the page. In
order to learn and retain what you read, it’s a good idea to do things like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively
reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing the following
steps will get you up to speed:
Preview: You can gain insight from an academic text before you even begin the reading assignment. For example, if you
are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can
give you an initial idea of what you’ll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it. You can also start to make
connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.
Read: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write
questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a
personal connection with the subject matter.
Summarize: After you an read academic text, it’s worth taking the time to write a short summary—even if your instructor
doesn’t require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the
reading is enormously beneficial: it not only helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and
review materials for exams and other writing assignments.
Review: It always helps to revisit what you’ve read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread
assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it’s a good idea to skim through them to identify the
main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you’ve written.
Name: RENANTE R. TIATCHO GRADE:11 TVL-ICT
Reading is fundamental to writing and research at University, but often gets overlooked – lecturers assume that students know how
to read, and students assume there’s only one way to read – but neither of these things is necessarily true! There are ways to read
that can improve information processing, can help with building an argument, and importantly for many students, can save lots of
Casual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged
to do in their free time because it can be both educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read
resources that have particular value in the context of a course. Why is academic reading beneficial?
Information comes from reputable sources: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not
all are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an
opinion or sell you something. Academic sources such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles, on the other hand, are
usually written by experts in the field and have to pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.
Learn how to form arguments: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you to write a
paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal of the paper is to research a topic and develop
an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position. Since many college reading assignments
(especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you’ll gain experience studying their strategies and learning to
emulate them.
Exposure to different viewpoints: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different
viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked to read a series of articles written by medical
professionals and religious leaders who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such
experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others’
views differ from your own.
Recall from the Active Learning section that effective reading requires more engagement than just reading the words on the page. In
order to learn and retain what you read, it’s a good idea to do things like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively
reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing the following
steps will get you up to speed:
Preview: You can gain insight from an academic text before you even begin the reading assignment. For example, if you
are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can
give you an initial idea of what you’ll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it. You can also start to make
connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.
Read: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write
questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a
personal connection with the subject matter.
Summarize: After you an read academic text, it’s worth taking the time to write a short summary—even if your instructor
doesn’t require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the
reading is enormously beneficial: it not only helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and
review materials for exams and other writing assignments.
Review: It always helps to revisit what you’ve read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread
assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it’s a good idea to skim through them to identify the
main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you’ve written.
Name: EFREN COSTUDIO GRADE:11 TVL-ICT
Reading is fundamental to writing and research at University, but often gets overlooked – lecturers assume that students know how
to read, and students assume there’s only one way to read – but neither of these things is necessarily true! There are ways to read
that can improve information processing, can help with building an argument, and importantly for many students, can save lots of
Casual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged
to do in their free time because it can be both educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read
resources that have particular value in the context of a course. Why is academic reading beneficial?
Information comes from reputable sources: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not
all are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an
opinion or sell you something. Academic sources such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles, on the other hand, are
usually written by experts in the field and have to pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.
Learn how to form arguments: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you to write a
paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal of the paper is to research a topic and develop
an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position. Since many college reading assignments
(especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you’ll gain experience studying their strategies and learning to
emulate them.
Exposure to different viewpoints: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different
viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked to read a series of articles written by medical
professionals and religious leaders who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such
experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others’
views differ from your own.
Recall from the Active Learning section that effective reading requires more engagement than just reading the words on the page. In
order to learn and retain what you read, it’s a good idea to do things like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively
reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing the following
steps will get you up to speed:
Preview: You can gain insight from an academic text before you even begin the reading assignment. For example, if you
are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can
give you an initial idea of what you’ll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it. You can also start to make
connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.
Read: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write
questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a
personal connection with the subject matter.
Summarize: After you an read academic text, it’s worth taking the time to write a short summary—even if your instructor
doesn’t require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the
reading is enormously beneficial: it not only helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and
review materials for exams and other writing assignments.
Review: It always helps to revisit what you’ve read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread
assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it’s a good idea to skim through them to identify the
main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you’ve written.