LibGuides: EVS247: Environmental Chemistry: Reading Tips

Reading Tips

Here are some tips for completing your reading on time and engaging with the text....

Read 10 minutes at a time
No one ever said you had to read for long chunks of time. Read for 10 mins between classes, or before lunch, or while waiting to pick up a friend.
Bring your book everywhere
It helps with that 10 minutes at a time thing.
Talk about the book
You can and should talk about the book, your reactions, or your reading experience.
Talk about the book before you finish
Most of these books aren't novels. There's no killer to be caught. Don't worry about spoilers. Talk about it as you read it.
Talk about the book with someone who hasn't read it
Maybe they're in your class reading something else, or you just think they'd be interested. That's ok.
Set goals and rewards
Having a hard time getting through the book. Set a page or time goal for reading and then reward yourself with something. Maybe a coffee? Or an ice cream? Or a YouTube video before you get back to it.
Read out loud
Mix it up. Read a chapter or section out loud. Or get a group together and take turns reading out loud.
Take a break
It's ok to walk away from the book for a while. Just make sure you come back to it.
Dislike the book
You don't have to like the book. You just have to be able to explain why you don't like it.
Disagree with the book
Nothing wrong with disagreeing. Just back up your argument against it.
Sticky Notes
It can be helpful to have sticky notes or other things on hand to mark important pages and passages that you don't have to flip through the entire book at the end looking for specific details.

Critical Reading Strategies

This video will go over strategies for reading for scholarly articles. It will help you identify important sections when researching to help you read your articles efficiently!