TOPIC 8: READING SKILLS

Introduction

In this topic, we shall examine reading as an important communication skill

that you as a university student will be constantly engaged in as you
research, conduct routine study as well as during revision for examinations.
We shall therefore be concerned with how you can develop effective reading
skills that you can use in your university studies and in life after college.
What is Reading?

Reading is the process of interpreting, analyzing and understanding written

messages. Reading for study at university level is an active integration of the
text involving interpretation and thinking as you read. Reading is, therefore,
a dynamic process involving the following properties:

a) Decoding or interpreting written symbols

b) It is a physical and mental activity

c) It requires attention and thought

d) It is an interaction of the language of the text and background

knowledge of the reader, such that, the written message focuses the
reader on what background knowledge (in long term memory), the
reader should bring to the interpretation of written message being
read.

Purpose for Reading

Before we engage in reading we need to establish the purpose for which we

seek to read. Generally speaking, we engage in reading for the following
purposes:

a) We read to entertainment or leisure

b) To acquire information and knowledge

 c) For academic purposes -at the university level reading is particularly
more focused and rigorous and would normally entail the following
purposes:

 To gain an overall understanding of main ideas presented in some

reading.
 To find specific information such as a name, date or a definition of
a concept.
 To gain understanding of material so as to recall it as presented
in the text.
 To evaluate, critique or analyze some material. The purpose of
our reading will, to a large extent, determine the type of reading
of style we adopt as the discussion below will indicate.

Types of Reading

Types of reading refer to styles we may adopt in our reading as determined

by the purpose for which we are reading. Types of reading include:

a) Scanning – This style or technique is used when you are looking for a
name, definition or any other specific piece of information in a text like
a house in classified ads, addresses or phone in a directory, an
important concept, information for a research essay in a library
catalogue, table of content, index page etc. In using the technique, you
move your eye quickly over the page to find particular words or
phrases that are relevant to specific information you are looking for.

While scanning, a good reader should first:

 Ensure that the text he/she is scanning is the correct text and that
he/she knows precisely what he is looking for.

 Try to determine the text structure or its style of arrangement, i.e.

clues or signals which can assist in understanding the text pattern.

 Scan with speed without reading extraneous or irrelevant material.

 b) Skimming – In this technique you read quickly through a text in order
to get a grip of the main ideas or general information about the text. In
using this technique, you intend to get a general grasp of ideas
presented by the author. This technique is useful when:

 Trying to decide if a book in library is useful or right for your studies.

 Previewing books or texts before detailed reading.

 Refreshing your understanding of a text after you have read it in detail.

You can skim:

 Introductory paragraphs – to give the general theme

 Concluding paragraph

 Transitional paragraphs

 Subheadings

 Italicized, underlined and boldfaced items

 As an efficient reading strategy, skimming is a very useful skill both for

recreational and study reading. In study reading, it is useful for the
following reasons:

c) Active/detailed reading – This technique is used in serious study. It

calls for an active involvement in the reading process. In this type of
reading you need to interrogate or think over what you read so as to
both evaluate what you have read and facilitate recall of read material.
This is the kind of reading that is most extensively used at university
during study. As you use this type of reading the following tips are
important.

 Always make notes

 Pick out what you think are the important points of what you are
reading by highlighting these points.

 Record main headings as you read, this helps you to see the flow of
your reading and notes.

 As you prepare for active reading note down questions you want the
 material to answer.

 After you have read a section of text and have made a summary of
what you have read in your notes, skim through the text and check
how accurate your summary is. As you do this, fill in gaps that you may
notice in your notes.

d) Extensive reading is purposeful, organized, wide reading of long

texts such as journals, novels, magazines, and periodicals etc.,
especially those that relate to one‘s area of study, to enrich one‘s
vocabulary, which is basic to all good reading.
e) Intensive reading is a concentrated, thorough and comprehensive
reading style. It is applied when one wants to understand the contents
of the reading deeply. It is an intellectually involving affair in that the
reader will be trying to evaluate how the ideas involved could be
applied or adapted to different situations. It is also analytical, critical
and interpretive. It could involve a paragraph, a whole passage or even
a whole book, like in the case of a literature book.

f) Light reading – this is the type of reading that we apply when reading
papers and novels for leisure. This does not involve any critical
assessment or appraisal of the material one is reading. It is fast and
superficial.

g) Word by word reading – this is the style used by beginners when

they are reading for the first time and in an attempt to understand
each word or phrase at a time. It is also applicable when one is reading
scientific or mathematics process or formula.

Effective and Efficient Reading Strategies

To read effectively means to be able to comprehend, evaluate and utilize

that which one has read, while reading efficiently means reading effectively
with the least amount of physical (psycho-motor) effort and time. To attain
efficiency, one has to:

1. Reduce certain poor reading habits

2. Utilize better psycho-motor reading strategies

Common Poor Reading Habits

(a) Vocalization (sounding out)

This is reading aloud (the tendency to register the sound of the words as you
read), which wastes time. Scholars have observed that reading aloud takes
at least twice as long as reading silently and yet it is not any more effective.

b) Sub-vocalization

This is where the reader makes a conscious effort not to move his/her lips
when reading but his/her internal speech organs; larynx or vocal cords are
mechanically working. That is, the tendency to internally acknowledge or
pronounce the sound of the words in your head.

c) Finger reading, pointing at words and head movement

These habits not only affect the rate of reading but also affect the
comprehension, since they prevent the reader from grasping full phrases and
clauses, therefore hindering him/her from understanding the ideas expressed
fully.

d) Narrow recognition span and poor rhythmic eye movement

Recognition span is the number of words a reader can recognize while eyes
are fixed at one point. Fixations are the stops a reader takes to take in a
word or phrase and then move on to the next. A narrow recognition span
wastes time and energy and therefore affects one‘s rate and comprehension.
Efficient readers take in several words per fixation, which should be at least
a phrase. Thus, rhythmically, eyes should move systematically from the
middle of one phrase to another.

e) Regression (backtracking while reading)

This is glancing back and re-reading words, phrases and sentences that have
already been read. It is a characteristic of lacking concentration and poor
reading. It affects comprehension because it interrupts the reading process
(though process). An efficient reader should move forward at all times.

Note: Regression is different from review which is done after, for clarification.

Effective Reading and Comprehension Skills

Two important techniques that have been developed for effective reading
and comprehension are SQ3R and SQ4R.

Survey – stands for a rapid preview of material in order to get an overview a

topic, chapter, or book. The idea here is to look for main points of the text,
its content and approach. In doing this:

i) Read the title to help give you an idea of the subject.

ii) Read the introduction or summary to see what the author thinks
are the key points.

iii) Notice boldface headings to see what the structure of the text is.

iv) Notice any maps, charts or graphs which give a summation of ideas
in the text.

v) Notice reading aids and any questions at the end of chapter

because they are meant to help you understand and remember.

a) Question – When reading you should develop a questioning attitude.

Questions help your mind to engage and concentrate. This is because
your mind is actively engaged when it is looking for answers to questions.
In using questions as you read, keep in mind the following:

 Try to turn bold face headings into questions you think the section
should answer.

 Ask yourself:

 What is the main point being made here?

 What is author trying to explain here?

 Have I understood the argument and conclusion?

b) Read – After formulating questions you can start reading the material
 carefully in detail. The approach you take in reading may depend on
subject. If the subject is complex your reading may be slower and if the
subject is familiar, you might adopt a faster pace. How you read may also
be determined by your personal approach. As you read:

 Remember to take notes.

 Engage actively with your material.

 Look for answers to questions you have set for yourself and make
up new questions if necessary.

c) Recall – After each section, stop and think back to your questions. See if
you can answer them from memory. If not take a look back at the text.
Do this as often as you need to. As you do this you may highlight
important points of your notes.

d) Review – Once you have finished reading, for instance, a whole chapter
or section, go back over all questions in all headings to see if you can still
answer them. If not, look back and refresh your memory. Do this as an
important part of your revision for exams.

(e) The fourth R on SQ4R is Reflection. This involves linking new

information to what has been read before, thereby retaining it. The reader
asks themselves, how do the new ideas confirm your ideas, add to them or
conflict with them, do you agree with the opinion given?

Importance of SQ3R and SQ4R

 It makes reading a conscious active effort.

 It enables a reader think constructively along similar lines as the writer.

 The prediction or question formulation stage is both a sign and an aid to

understanding.

 The stages improve one ‘s concentration and retention ability.

 Reading is organized into stages, therefore it takes less time and effort
and it is more effective.

Note Making
Notes are a shortened version of information. Note taking is an integral part
of reading, listening as well as during revision or study.
How to Make Notes

1. You should only choose the main points of what you are reading or
listening to. Do not record all the materials from your source.

2. Show the difference between main points, supporting points and

examples. This can be done by use of highlighting through the use of
colours, underlining, or using various types of font or bolding for the
different aspects of your notes.

3. Brevity is important in taking notes. Use abbreviations wherever possible.

You could also achieve brevity by adopting mathematical or scientific
symbols or device your own personal code of symbols and signs.

4. Use phrases, not complete sentences to save time. Number items, put
information in bulleted lists, or use an outline to make it easier to review
notes

Advantages of Notes

1. Making notes helps you to learn and understand by

translating what you are studying into your own words and
thereby helping you to understand and remember what you are
studying.

2. Taking notes helps you concentrate while you are

studying because the note taking process helps you process and
digest the information.

3. Making notes helps you assess information because you are

selecting the most important parts of what you are reading.
Through making notes, you are also spotting the key issues and
ideas of the materials.

4. Note making also helps you think about the subject.

Writing down ideas often produces ideas about other ideas you
 already know. This makes you think and connect what you are
noting down with what you already know. This process makes
remembering of information more likely.

Interpreting Non-linear Texts/ Transcoding

In addition to using continuous prose, writers code information in

diagrammatic displays like table, graphs, maps, charts and histograms.

Student, these are effective for the following reasons:

 they are concise as they summarize results effectively

 they demonstrate relationships between variables graphically
 they help to predict trends
 they communicate a lot of information at a glance
 they are easy to remember
Student, writer will usually assist you to interpret these diagrams by:
providing detailed titles, providing a scale, stating the source of the diagram
if it is not theirs originally, providing a key to the shading and if more than
one diagram is provided, they will number it to avoid confusion.