As an undergraduate student myself, I understand that the amount and academic style of reading at University may feel like a considerable step up from school and this can be overwhelming. However, what many don’t realise is that there are different ways of reading, and with the right skills applied, it can become a much easier and less daunting task, something that you may even enjoy!
In this blog post, I will break down the three main different types of reading; skim reading, scan reading and close reading. I will also give some tips and tricks that have helped me in general when it comes to reading, whether it be journal articles, a blog post, or a chapter of a book, to help you get the most out of it.
The Big Three:
As mentioned above, the three main types of reading are skim reading, scan reading, and close reading – so let’s get into breaking down each type, and where best to apply each method.
If you want a general idea of the text, skim reading is going to be your best method to apply. It can be used when reading a smaller section of text such as a paragraph, or a larger text, like a chapter, to ultimately get a basic understanding of the main arguments, and a general overview.
On the other hand, if you want a specific fact or precise piece of information, scanning is going to be your most beneficial method of reading. This involves looking over a text quickly, to pick out the key information you are looking for; I have found it can be especially useful if you want a scholar’s opinion/theory, and to find specific information or facts.
The final method of reading is close reading, which is when you slow down to really understand something. Perhaps the most common mistake made when reading is to read everything closely (I know I’ve been guilty of this). Think about what it is you are trying to gain from your reading, and then choose carefully what you spend time on reading closely to gain the most from your reading.
Tips and tricks:
It’s okay to read the introduction then jump to the conclusion! Particularly if you are reading for research purposes, it can be really helpful to do this to get a sense of what you are reading, and decide whether it will be useful and applicable for you.
If you are reading something digitally, CTRL+F (or CMD+F on Apple devices) can help to quickly locate a particular word or phrase quickly and effectively.
Don’t panic if you don’t understand certain words or even whole sections of your reading. This is completely normal and I like to make a note if I’m unsure of anything, either with highlighters or a star, and come back to it at a later time to look closer at it and maybe ask a friend or lecturer about it. Additionally, many authors write with the intent of provoking questions and discussions (with the reading often being the topic of seminars), and this is a large part of learning on many university courses. So, questioning a section of text can be a learning curve and ultimately a good thing.
Lastly, written passages can often have multiple interpretations, so don’t worry if you have a different understanding of something to someone else as you can both be right!
Overall, reading can become a much easier and beneficial task once you know how best to approach it. Take the time to think about how best to approach your text, so you can get the most out of it!
Written by Emily, a BA History student
