Becoming an Active Reader

Use this guide to help you find and evaluate academic information and generate effective reading techniques and strategies.

Becoming an Active Reader image

Reading at University

At University you are expected to approach your reading in a different way than perhaps before.

You will select the material to read and assess whether the information is important and relevant enough to use in assessments.

You will be expected to read and make notes for lectures seminars and for assessment.

So approach your reading in a strategic way to help manage your reading workload.

Your Reading List

Your reading list is a guided list of appropriate reading for your module and can be found in your module handbook or online through the Library.

This list is prioritised and curated reading by your lecturer on reading that you will find helpful for your module.

They might also provide preparatory weekly readings for classes or seminars.

The Purpose of your reading

All classes will require preparatory reading to help you become an engaged and thriving learner.

Reading for researching assignments will require additional reading skills. Regardless of the purpose all reading sources are required to be up to date, credible and scholarly.

How to read at university

  • What to read for class

    Your lecturer will provide you with reading to be prepared in advance of classes.

    These resources can typically  be accessed through the University Library.

    Most of the  Library's book resources are available online and can be accessed both on and off campus 24/7. When researching for assignments you must go beyond the reading list and actively select and appraise the information sources that you want to use. Evidence of reading will be required by your marking rubric.

  • What to read when researching

    You will be expected to be an autonomous learner and find reading material independently.

    There is a lot of information out there and when starting your research for assessment you might be tempted to go to Google.

    At University you are expected to access and read the best quality information sources available in academic books, peer review journals and appropriate literature.

    Finding  source material is a key component of the research process. Your selection of appropriate and relevant information sources and how you interpret them will make your assignment unique and reflect your critical thinking.

    Types of Information Sources
    SourceDescription
    Academic texts An academic book is a specialised publication written by experts for scholars and researchers. It presents in-depth research on a particular subject. Which includes citations and follows a formal writing style. These books are used for educational purposes in universities and are often peer-reviewed. These academic texts can be found in print and online in the Library.
    Journal articles One of the most common academic sources is the journal article. Researchers publish their research in academic journals which usually cover a specific discipline. Journals used to be distributed in print format but now they are mostly published online. Some journals have stronger reputations and more rigorous editorial controls than others.
    Grey literature

    Grey literature, such as:

    • organisational reports
    • projects
    • leaflets etc.

    are published outside normal academic publishing and distribution channels. Such documents are often found in the 'publications' sections of organisational websites, so while they are considered non-academic, they can be used if credible.

    Your information sources should be reliable and academic. In order to  test the reliability of your source use the CRAAP test. This is a test to check the objective reliability of information sources across academic disciplines. CRAAP is an acronym for:

    • Currency
    • Relevance,
    • Authority,
    • Accuracy
    • Purpose.
    Examples below of good and poor academic sources
    Type of source Good examples Poor examples
    What is a reliable source? Is a credible or authoritative source that we can assume has accurate information because it has been written by an expert in the field. It should have clearly identifiable authors a date of publication and evidence of objectivity and truthfulness. Blogs
    Magazines
    Websites
    What is an academic source? They are scholarly sources such as  books or journal articles that have gone through the peer review process. They will have a list of references that they have referred to in their writing. Abstracts are not considered academic sources. Wikipedia
    YouTube
    TedTalks
    Websites
    Search engines Websites from search engines can be used for government publications professional bodies or other authoritative authors.  Always start your research in the library resources and supplement  these sources with grey literature from the web. Marketing or other non-authoritative websites
    Newspapers

    Websites and newspapers may offer interesting  opinions on relevant topic areas. However they are not citable within your academic work. Read the information gather ideas and find a credible source to cite in your work.

    Websites and newspapers may also offer academically relevant material, but often have a narrow focus and are more likely to demonstrate bias. They may offer insight into public (or establishment) opinion.

  • How to read it

    Academic reading is functional and there are different reading techniques that you can use depending on the purpose of your reading. To find a particular piece of information you might scan skim or skip reading but when reading actively for assignment research you need to read critically.

    Examples of Reading Techniques
    TechniqueDescription
    Scanning Reading a whole text from start to finish may not always be the most effective or efficient way to make use of your independent reading time. Sometimes  we are need to get a overview of the source before dedicating time to reading it.  By scanning titles and abstracts, chapter headings, introductions or conclusions you can  locate important information quickly and evaluate if the source is worth your time.
    Speed Reading Speed reading allows you to read a text at pace before evaluating it. This is an acquired skill and lets you get through reading quickly and fluently.
    Reading with attention Requires marking out the text into chunks; reading the individual parts and reflecting on your understanding and learning of each part in turn. This strategy is helpful when you are required to have a deep understanding of the material.
    Focused Reading Use questions to guide your reading and keep you focused on the necessary points.  It will also help you retain the important information.
  • Using your reading in your written work

    A great assignment is built on great sources and using the best quality sources of information is key to doing well. In written work we show our knowledge and understanding based on our reading and convey this by using the information to support our arguments. There are three main techniques to embedding your reading into your written work.

    All work used to support your writing must be referenced in your School's Referencing style. This will be noted in your Module Handbook and the Library will provide guidance and training in your referencing style.

    Please refer to your School's referencing style when using information.

    Techniques for using your reading into your written work
    Technique What is  it? When to use it Why should you use it How to use it
    Paraphrasing Is when you convey your understanding from a source in your own words. To express ideas in your own style of thinking and writing.
    To restate information that supports/refutes your argument.
    To best show your understanding.     		This is an effective and accepted academic convention. It is considered best practice when reading and note making to communicate the authors' ideas by rewriting the premise or information completely in your own words, as per your understanding. When paraphrasing  covey the information in your own words and provide an in-text citation and corresponding reference the Reference List.
    Summarising Is when a large piece of academic reading is considerably reduced in size and interpreted by the  writer in their own words. Is an effective skill for expressing complicated information in a more concise and clear way. Summarising shows your  reader and or marker that you have a sound understanding of the information source. It is an effective skill that can be developed. When summarising the writer conveys the  concept or information in a brief way in their own words by providing both an in-text citation and a reference in the Reference List.
    Quoting Is when you use the author's words. Quotes are helpful when providing definitions, providing an impactful statement, or
    stating  an idea  or concept that the author has expressed in a unique way.     		The over use of direct quotes is poor academic practice. Students use quotes to make essay look impressive or because they think you need to use quotations. Sometimes they can be a red flag to a marker and or reader that you do not understand the premise or information. When quoting it is important to show the author's words clearly by using quotation marks and providing  page numbers in the citation, and a fully formed reference in the reference list.

    By not appropriately referencing your work you could be open to allegations of plagiarism.

    Take our short Is it plagiarism? quiz  to test your knowledge and understanding of plagiarism.

  • Reading Actively & Critically

    Thinking critically requires us to go beyond description and develop our own arguments and or judgements.

    This means that our reading and note making needs to go beyond the descriptive too.

    Remember academic writing is about making an answer not finding an answer so our reading and notes need to help with this function also.

    Your reading should include your critique, probing questions and critical thoughts.

    You can show your criticality by:

    • In the selection of your sources by choosing the most appropriate and relevant information
    • By having a healthy skepticism for everything your read
    • By evaluating authors' arguments and deciding your own position.

What is referencing?

A Short Guide

This short video will explain in basic terms, the essential elements of referencing and  why it is important.

Showing your Reading in your Written Work

A Short Guide

This short video will explain the techniques of quoting, paraphrasing and synthesising, and show how these techniques can be embedded in your written work.

Thinking Critically and Reading

A Short Guide

This short video explains what critical thinking is and how it should be applied to your reading. It illustrates how to apply the Plymouth Critical Thinking Model (2006) to guide your critical reading.

Choosing Quality Sources

Self Paced Guide

Aims of the guide:

Use the back and next buttons at the bottom right of the screen to navigate through the tutorial. Alternatively, use the contents button to jump to a specific page.