Reading Effectively
'Mine the text' : Read strategically, not linearly
Academic/Scholarly Articles:
- Check the name of the journal to give context (what should I expect?)
- Do I have any questions/needs before I start reading? (make a plan)
- Read the abstract for main argument, evidence and conclusion (road map of article)
- Look for keywords (any terms you need to look up before reading?)
- Take notes/pose questions as you read as opposed to going back later (saves headaches)
- How did the article reinforce or change my current thinking on topic? (be reflective)
- Check the name of the periodical to give context (what should i expect?)
- Evaluate news source for inherent bias/point of view: What is their big idea (stated or implied)? What is their agenda, program, or tendency (check editorials + funding for political stance)? Who is the intended audience (narrow or broad)?
- What is included, not included? (compare headlines)
- What is the structure of reporting? (chronological, FAQ, background, other? Are there taglines, [sub] topic headings, etc?)
- What types of photos or other visuals (graphs, charts) are included? (Are they useful to prove a point)?
Source: How to Read for Grad School @ www.miriamsweeney.net
Writing Effective Annotations
Three Steps: Scan, Skim, Read
Step 1: Scan
Pre-read:
Quickly find the focus of the text, i.e. its main idea or argument by reading just the first few lines of each paragraph.
The second read-through is a slower, more thorough reading. Now that you know what the text is about, as well as what information you can expect to encounter, you can read it more deliberately, and pay attention to details that are important and/or interesting.
Pre-read:
- Make note of the title of the text, and subheadings, if any, to identify the topic of the text.
- Analyze the source, i.e. the author or the publisher, to evaluate its reliability and usefulness.
- Look for an abstract if there is one, as well as any bold or italicized words and phrases, which might offer further clues about the text’s purpose and intended audience.
Quickly find the focus of the text, i.e. its main idea or argument by reading just the first few lines of each paragraph.
- Identify and highlight/underline the main idea.
- Write a summary (only a sentence or two) of the topic in your own words, in the margins, or up top near the title.
The second read-through is a slower, more thorough reading. Now that you know what the text is about, as well as what information you can expect to encounter, you can read it more deliberately, and pay attention to details that are important and/or interesting.
- Identify and highlight/underline the supporting points or arguments in the body paragraphs, including relevant evidence or examples.
- Paraphrase and summarize key information in the margins.
- Make a note of any unfamiliar or technical vocabulary.
- Note questions as you read re: any confusion or your agreement/disagreement with ideas.
- Make personal notes – write your opinion, your thoughts, and reactions to the information.
- Draw connections between different ideas, either within the text itself, or to ideas in other texts or class discussions.
Alternative Version:
- Summarize key points in your own words.
- Circle key concepts and phrases.
- Write brief comments and questions in the margins.
- Use abbreviations and symbols.
- Highlight/underline.
- Use comment and highlight features built into pdfs, online/digital textbooks, or other apps and browser add-ons.
Writing Effective Annotated Bibliographies
Three Steps: Summarize, Assess, Reflect
2 to 4 sentences to summarize the main idea(s) of the source:
- What are the main arguments?
- What is the purpose of this book/article? (persuade? inform? compare?)
- What topics are covered?
- How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography?
- Is this information reliable (e.g., credible source, age of info)?
- Is the source objective or biased?
- Was this source useful to you?
- How can you use this source for your assignment?
- Has it changed how you think about your topic and/or give you leads to follow?
Sources: https://rasmussen.libanswers.com/faq/32338; https://pressbooks.pub/roughwritersguide/chapter/annotate-bibliography; https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/annotated_bibliographies/annotated_bibliography_samples.html
Sample sentence starters: