EPQ: Research methods 2

Reading Great Big Books!

Big Books = Tomes!

Remember ..

Books are resources...

Reading for study is not the same as reading for pleasure

Learn to be a ‘smash and grab’ reader

Always have an objective

Why am I reading this text?

Have I got a specific question? Do I want a broad overview? Am I collecting new ideas & facts?

Each requires a different approach

But first

How to overview a new text

Try to make some notes here!

The Title Page

Tells you..

• How up to date the content is

• Who the author is Tip: Choose an up to date text

The Table of Content (at the front)

Tells you

• The scope of the book

• How the book is organized

• The main chapter headings

Tip: Select a book that has chapter summaries

The INDEX (at the back)

Where you will findReferences to specific topics

If you have a specific question the index is a good place to start

The Bibliography

Tells you• Which research papers, texts, are

referenced

• Harvard referencing order ...• Author name, date, title, publisher.

Harvard referencing

How does it go?

Gross, R. (1994) Psychology: TheScience of Mind & Behaviour (Ed 3)Hodder & Stoughton, UK

The Preface

Tells you

• The author’s intent and approach

• Where they ‘are coming from’

If the book is ‘new to you’

Open it at random and read a paragraph

Is the prose style to your liking?• Can YOU get into it?

Tip: Don’t struggle with a book you don’t like - choose another

Don’t be afraid

To find an easy text to start with

before you

Progress to a more difficult one

OK - So let’s do some reading

Where should you read?

If you need to take notes..• Don’t read on the bus!!

How fast should you read?

There always seems to be more to read than you have time for !

Skimming & Scanning

Scanning

Scanning first sentences in paragraphs

• Gives you key words

• Helps you decide whether to continue to read this article / section/ chapter

Scanning

Introductions and conclusions

Give you an outline

Scanning tells you about a text• But you won’t learn what’s in it !

Skimming

Skimming is a fast reading technique.Use it to obtain the gist of a piece oftext (i.e. to quickly identify the mainideas in the text).

How is 'skimming' differentto scanning'?

Skimming is used to obtain the gist (the overall sense) of a piece of text.

Scanning is used to obtain specific information from a piece of text.

Reading speeds

100 WPM • Easy familiar text

70 WPM• Harder text you need to follow closely

40 WPM• Difficult text, unfamiliar subject matter

Words you may not know.

Should you use a dictionary?

• Her blue eyes were full of - - - - -

• Her blue dress was full of - - - - -

• The word meaning is derived from the text !!

So - now SQR(3)

Survey (Scanning)

• Question (is this useful to me)

• Read (take notes)

• Recall (from memory)

• Review (try to summarise)

Taking Notes

What sort of notes? Should you highlight the text?

• Should you write as you read?

• Should you maintain a card file?

• Find a method that suits you!

Have confidence

Don’t forget

Books are resources

Learn to burgle them!!

• GOOD LUCK