Reading academic texts SLIDE 1

Freewrite: Concerns, questions about reading? -One challenge related to reading -One technique or approach to reading that works for you -Something you’d like to address today SLIDE 2 Ask students to freewrite for three minutes about a challenge they experience related to reading, a technique that works for them, and/or something they’d like to address in the workshop. After three minutes, invite sharing.

A reading exercise: glossing Write a few words (no more than 5) in the margin next to each of the first two paragraphs. SLIDE 3 Distribute sample text. Ask participants to take marginal notes, writing a few words (or even just one word) that captures the paragraph and that might aid in recall of the content of the paragraph. Say that the word(s) can be the writer’s own or can from the paragraph. Emphasize that there is no right answer in this exercise. Introduce the name for this technique -- “glossing.” Invite reflections on this process.

Reading metacognitively Awareness and understanding of one’s thought processes SLIDE 4 Introduce and define “metacognition.” Say that the exercise we just did was metacognitive because it involved thinking about/ reflecting on what we read as part of the process of reading. Option to say that this workshop was developed by the coordinator of the Writing Center, who read dozens of scholarly articles about reading as he developed it. He found the concept of metacognition mentioned throughout the literature on reading. Ask if anyone knows of any reading techniques that promote metacognition.

How to be metacognitive: before reading -Define your purpose -Preview SLIDE 5 Introduce metacognitive techniques for before reading:   Before Reading Define your purpose – Are you reading for information? To make an argument? Asking these questions could help make you reading process more efficient. If you’re doing research, you might be looking for just one fact. Preview – Previewing helps you get a sense of the landscape of the text. Locate information-rich sections, including places in text that provide a summary or overview; preview a book to get a sense of layout and content of chapters.

How to be metacognitive: while reading -Underline/circle terms -Pause and think -Write down questions SLIDE 6 Introduce metacognitive techniques to practice while reading:   While Reading Underline/circle key terms – You might consider compiling key terms in a brief custom glossary Pause and think – It’s ok to stare into space and reflect on what you’ve been reading – do this occasionally so you don’t allow yourself to get overloaded. Note your questions in margins – Doing this can provide a stay against confusion; on a second read, you might find that your questions are answered.

How to be metacognitive: after reading -Consolidate notes -Write a 25 word summary -Write a sentence in which you articulate author’s purpose SLIDE 7 Introduce metacognitive techniques to practice after reading: After Reading Consolidate notes – Consider compiling your marginal notes on a separate page 25 word summary – Writing a brief summary of an article or chapter can be a useful exercise – it is harder than it seems Sentence of purpose – If you can write a sentence in which you identify the author’s purpose, you probably have a grasp on the reading

Reading rhetorically What is the writer’s purpose? How does the writer attempt to achieve her purpose? How successful is the writer in achieving her purpose? SLIDE 8 Introduce the concept of reading rhetorically, which involves identifying the writer’s purpose and the means by which she is attempting to achieve her purpose, and assessing how successful the writer was in this. Note that reading rhetorically also comes up frequently in scholarship on reading strategies.

Reading in drafts Draft 1: Preview Draft 2: Notes Draft 3: Summary SLIDE 9 Introduce the concept of reading in drafts. Say that while many writers recognize that it’s helpful to write in drafts, we may not consider that it’s also useful to read in drafts. Readers often only partially comprehend an article on the first read, and this is completely normal. Introduce sequence for reading in drafts: skim first, circling terms and writing down questions; read more carefully the second time through, taking marginal notes (as you would when glossing). Say that a reader’s second time through will likely be more productive because of her familiarity with the landscape of the reading. Emphasize that there are many ways to read in drafts. Some readers will add a third draft to consolidate their notes on a separate page. Some readers will choose one reading each week to read less thoroughly, perhaps only skimming it. Suggest that in graduate school (especially), it’s important to be strategic about how you read, and that you should not hold yourself to reading every word of every reading unless you’ve found that you can do this and it works for you.

Reading Mindfully Switch methods Take a break SLIDE 10 Introduce the concept of reading mindfully, which is reading with an awareness of your level of engagement with the reading. Say that if the method you are using is not working, step back and evaluate. Maybe you want to switch to skimming, or switch to reading line by line. Perhaps it’s time for a break.

Reading for keeps SLIDE 11 Suggest that creating a brief record of every article and book you read helps make visible the intellectual capital you are acquiring in your courses. There are lots of ways to do this, on paper or digitally. Scribner is a popular software for this. Suggest that there are many benefits of keeping track of your reading: short term – it’s easier to write a paper when you have notes on all the texts you will write about; long term – you may want to refer back to these readings for final papers and in your work beyond this course.