2 A process for reading and selecting relevant material

During your studies, you will often encounter the challenge of having to do a lot of reading in a very limited time, so you will have to be selective and economical but, of course, critical, too. Whenever you locate reading materials, it is important to pause and go back to your assignment. Focus on the requirements and key points, and consider how the article may contribute to your preparation of a response. A simple template such as the one shown in Table 1 could be your starting point. Once you have a template like this, you can then move on to the following stages (Figure 1).

Figure 1Reading relevant material – stages in the process.

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This is a flow diagram showing a series of steps. The box at the top has a heading of Survey the text critically. Underneath that are the following list items: get an overview (skim read); read the abstract or summary; read the headings and subsections; look at the boxes and diagrams; read the conclusion and introduction. There is an arrow leading to another box with the heading Conduct a detailed read of selected text(s). Underneath is the following text: Whilst reading it is important to draw on the techniques discussed earlier and, most importantly, how you will draw on the piece of text; for example, its focus on the subject matter, methodology, an exciting application of a theory, a context that has limited generalisability but is relevant to cite, a large scale piece of work that has influenced an area of work, etc. There is an arrow leading to another box with the heading Keep a record of what you are reading. Underneath this is the following text: As a postgraduate student, it is important to record your research footprint. In cases where you have not selected the piece of text for further scrutiny it is important to keep a record in case you decide to draw on that material in the future. Bibliography management tools are available to help you do this.

Figure 1Reading relevant material – stages in the process.

It is very important that you take notes on what you read, to help map concepts and ideas, and how these relate to your own thoughts. Cameron (2009) suggests that note-taking enhances your concentration and understanding, helps you to retain what you have read, and is useful when revising content. Representing your understanding and/or ideas graphically is also a useful way of assimilating information, as we have seen from previous sessions. There are a number of free applications and software that can help you do this, and you can search for these online.

Critical reading will enable you to analyse both written and oral materials for their relevance and appropriacy. It allows you to make judgements about your sources of information and evidence. This is an important postgraduate skill that you need to demonstrate – it requires in-depth engagement with material, helps you to enhance your understanding of the subject matter, and helps you to make informed judgements. Engaging with this process will enable you to work more effectively, as you will be more thoughtful about the decisions you make, and more careful in approaching your work. Critical reading is also the foundation for critical writing, which we will turn to now.