Reading and Making Notes

University students are typically exposed to a much wider variety of academic sources at university - including monographs, textbooks, journals, reports - and, crucially, a much larger proportion of their time is spent on independent academic reading, relative to their time in school. There are lots of study skills texts which deal with academic writing in some form or other, but there are far fewer resources which provide helpful guidance about how to manage the early stages of an assignment. The quality of a student's written work reflects the quality of their reading and note-making skills. If students don't understand what their assignment is asking; if students don't take control of their reading list and consult the most appropriate sources; and if students don't end the process of reading with meaningful notes it's very unlikely that they will score high marks for their assignment. This book helps readers to take charge of their reading at university and provides succinct and practical guidance at key stages of the assignment. It helps students to understand what their assignment title means and how to identify useful, reliable academic sources. It helps students to apply different reading strategies, depending on the task at hand, and to approach texts actively so that they are questioning and evaluating materials as they go. In addition to reading strategies, the Pocket introduces readers to useful strategies and tips for note-making. The final part helps readers to make the most of their notes by engaging with and reviewing the material they've created. New for this edition: - A science-based example for STEM students - New section which helps readers think about what type of information and evidence they need to find - New tips on managing large volumes of reading - Updated material on note-making software and online tools to reflect latest technology

Jeanne Godfrey has been teaching and managing in the field of English language and academic writing for over twenty years and currently lectures at the University of Leeds UK. She has been Chair of the British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes and set up one of the first academic writing centres in a UK university. Jeanne is author of The Student Phrase Book, The Business Student's Phrase Book, How to Use Your Reading in Your Essays, and Writing for University.

Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Active reading and note making PART I: DECIDE WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO READ 2. What your lecturers are looking for 3. Understand your assignment title 4. Take control of your reading list... 5. ...and go beyond it? 6. Reliable and academic sources 7. Fine-tune your selection PART II: DECIDE HOW YOU ARE GOING TO READ 8. Ways to read 9. Finding time to read PART III: UNDERSTAND, QUESTION AND EVALUATE 10. Understand the text accurately 11. What to do if you get stuck 12. Make up your own mind 13. Get the wider picture PART IV: THE ESSENTIALS 14. Active and purposeful notes 15. Key features of effective notes PART V: DECIDE HOW YOU WILL MAKE NOTES 16. Different note-making formats 17. Making notes in lectures and seminars 18. Tools and technology PART VI: MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR NOTES 19. Review and rework your notes 20. Using your notes in assignments Appendix 1: Examples of common abbreviations for note making Appendix 2: Definitions of words used in this guide References Useful resources Index