Reading academic texts is different from reading for pleasure. The goal in reading for class is to get as much out of the material as possible, usually for a specific purpose or kind of information. Sometimes the best way to do this is not to read every word in order. Let me emphasize that: the secret to success in college is that you don't have to read every word. Professors may not tell you, but they often don't expect you to read everything. Instead, they expect you to read strategically.
By reading strategically, you can spend less time and get more out of your reading. In college, you may often face too many demands on your time to read every assigned text from back to front. The following advice is to help you get the most out of your readings when you have limited time (aka always).
Start with a Question
Before you start reading, you need to know why you’re reading. This will prevent you from wasting time carefully reading and taking notes on things that aren’t relevant to you. Instead, you can focus on what’s most important. Ask yourself:
Why am I reading this?
Why did the professor assign this?
What kind of information am I looking for?
Your professor might tell you exactly what to look for with discussion/reading questions. Or it might be implied by the theme of the class. Think about how the text relates to the course's overall topic or subunit (check the syllabus!). If you’re writing a research paper, your research question should guide not only what you read, but how you read. Focus on information relevant to your question, rather than feeling like you need to read everything. Your guiding questions should also shape the kind of notes you take. You do not want to take notes on everything – take notes to help you remember key pieces of information and save material you may want to use in assignments.
Reading Primary Sources
In a history or literature course, some of your readings will be primary sources: historical documents and literature. These texts are the basis of historical study, and they require detailed attention. In a history class, if you are assigned both primary and secondary readings, I recommend reading secondary readings first to help you with background knowledge, but setting aside more time for primary sources. Often, it will be important to pay attention to details such as vocabulary, tone, and literary choices like metaphor or irony. This makes it harder to skim primary sources. If you are short on time, you might skim the entire reading and then pick one section to read carefully.
Reading Textbooks
When you’re reading a textbook, your goal is typically to get a wide range of factual information for a particular subject. This can make it difficult to skim. Use your textbook’s organizational tools to your advantage. If the textbook has discussion or test questions at the end of a chapter, check those first to get a sense of the chapter’s key takeaways. Use headings to guide you to the sections that are most important for your class. If you’re short on time, focus on key terms and ideas, and skim the examples of concepts you understand.
Reading Books
Academic books are written differently than a novel, and you can use this to your advantage. It may be tempting to skip to the central chapter, but never skip the introduction. Most academic books use the introduction to summarize the argument, the impact on scholarship, and the argument of each chapter. If you’re only going to read one section of a book, it should be the introduction. The introduction is also the perfect place to find out which chapters are going to be the most useful to you.
Reading Strategies for when you’re short on time:
“The Grad School Read” – Read the introduction, one entire chapter that you consider the most important or interesting, and the conclusion
The Broad Overview – Read the introduction, the beginning and end of each chapter, and the conclusion
Another tip for reading books strategically: start with a review. Almost all academic books are reviewed by other scholars. You can find these reviews on Jstor.org by searching for the name of the book. These reviews are typically 2-3 pages. They summarize the book’s main argument, discuss how it contributes to the field, and assess its strengths and weaknesses. Reading a review cannot replace reading the book itself, but it can help you pinpoint key themes to read for. Reviews are also a great tool when you’re trying to decide which books will be most worth your time, or to get a sense of the scholarship on a particular topic.
Reading Articles and Chapters
An academic article or chapter is typically structured in the following way:
Introduction: summary of argument, intervention in the scholarship, and method
Historiography: summary of what other people have said on the topic
Body: analysis and evidence
Conclusion: tying together main ideas, connecting to broader context, conveying significance
You should always read the beginning carefully to get a sense of the argument. If a professor assigns you a single article or chapter, they are probably expecting you to read the entire thing carefully. If you are using one for a research paper, the analysis and evidence is probably where you will find the key ideas you want to cite. By reading with your guiding question(s) in mind, you might be able to skim through part of the article’s body if necessary.