Academic reading what is it and how do you do it

1. Academic Reading:
What is it and How do you do it?
Dorin Wang

2. Find resources for your assignment
Plan your
search
Narrow
your search
Evaluate
your search
Keep track
of the used
sources

3. Plan your search
• What you are being asked TO DO? (Checking the guidance notes in your module materials.)
• What you already KNOW? Where are the gaps in your knowledge? What do you need to find out?
• Which WORDS best describe your topic?
• What are the SYNONYMS, or alternative terms for your subject? For example, children or young people.
• What sort of INFORMATION are you looking for? For example, a basic introduction, a detailed explanation, a set of statistics providing
evidence of research?
• WHERE you are most likely to find this:
• an online reference - a basic introduction
• a book - detailed explanation
• a statistics database or journal article - evidence.
• Where to look: Library Search, a Library database, Google Scholar...

4. Types of sources

5. Where to look
• Library Search
• Resources for your subject
• Google Scholar
• SOURCES TO AVOID!
• Personal blog
• Commercial websites
• Wikipedia
• News paper / Magazine

6. Narrow your search
• Choose keywords
• Add keywords to make your search more specific if you have
too many results.
• Remove keywords to make your search broader if you find too
few results.
• Filtering information

7. https://ljmu-
primo.hosted.exlibrisgrou
p.com/primo-
explore/search?vid=44JM
U_VU1&lang=en_US
Library site: key word search
Surveying a text for relevance

8. Evaluate your search
• WHO is the author of the source? Who put the information
there (who owns the site)? What authority or expertise do they
have in this area?
• WHY was the source created?
• WHEN was the source last updated?

9. • Process word
• Topic
• Limitations/focus
• Directs your research and then your writing.
• Discuss- a written debate, find and use evidence to develop an argument
which shows the views for and against something or the positives and
negatives. If you do not understand the process word use a list like this to help.
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/documents/processwordsforassig
nmentsandexams.pdf
• Main area to read about and analyse. You then use this information an analysis
to plan and write your assignment.
• Helps you choose appropriate resources. These are the areas within the main
topic you need to write about.
Discuss the factors that contribute to
childhood obesity in Australia.

10. Key words
Synonyms
Discuss the factors that contribute
to childhood obesity in Australia.

11. Use this
checklist to
evaluate your
sources. Reme
mber that if you
Google for
sources you will
have to spend
more time
checking them!

12. How does your source
choice impact on your
academic writing?
Non – academic sources.
Sources you cannot identify.
Biased sources.
No author.
No date.
Informal style and tone.
Nowadays, childhood obesity has become an epidemic in all over the world.
To begin with, in point of fact the reasons for obesity are not difficult to understand. Firstly, according to
many writers people are eating more and more unhealthy foods, namely fast-foods which contain a large
percentage of calories (Slimming World, 2013). It is because children feel junk-foods are more appetizing
than fresh foods cooked at home (Take a Break, 2012). Moreover, many parents in Australia have become
so busy that they do not have time to cook (Mumsnet.org) . Secondly, there is a lack of space for children to
play . In addition, children nowadays all over the world have a lot of homework to do so they so not have
much time to play (Married with kids Blog,2017). This leads to watching TV and playing computer games a
lot. This is a really big problem in America. Thirdly, the fast-food industry has developed dramatically in
many countries. In fact, there are more and more fast- food joints everywhere. Furthermore, particular in
Western cultures have diets that are often very high in fat (Health line US, n.d.).
Obesity has many bad effects on society . First of all, overweight children can get many serious diseases
such as heart disease, diabetes or even cancer (The Sun, 2011). It can also lead to an increase of stress in
school for big children when they become the object of cruel jokes, consequently, overweight children are
always unconfident in themselves.
As we have seen, there are number of ways to reduce obesity. One of the most effective methods is that
society, school and family should take responsibility for educating about mental health of healthy life style
for children so they have knowledge about the risk of obesity (Raising Happy Kids, n.d.).
In short, the main causes of childhood obesity is bad diet and less activity . This leads to considerable
damage about health in the long term. In my view, children should be encouraged to eat healthy foods and
do exercise frequently.

13. Compare the previous
example with the essay
extract on your handout.
This student has selected
good quality academic
sources.
Analysed and reviewed
these sources in relation to
the assignment question.
Has enough research to
write a full answer.
Has written in a good
academic style and tone -
similar to that used in the
sources read and analysed.

14. 1. Burns, T. & Sinfield, S. (2016) Essential Study Skills – The Complete Guide to Success at University; 4th edition; Sage
publications Ltd; London; ISBN: 978-1-4739-1902-0
2. Sherman L. W. 2013. The Rise of Evidence-Based Policing: Targeting, Testing and Tracking Crime and Justice, 42 : 377 –
343
3. Brain, T. (2013) A future for policing in England and Wales; Oxford University Press; Oxford
4. Lumsden, K. "‘It’s a Profession, It Isn’t a Job’: Police Officers’ Views on the Professionalisation of Policing in England."
Sociological Research Online 22.3 (2017): 4-20.
Look at the following article titles. Which two of these articles do you think you would
reach for first if you were attempting the essay topic?
Surveying a text for relevance
Exploring the importance of academic and graduate skills
and their relevance in a professional police setting

15. Have a go...
1. Your reading list
2. Select relevant sources for your assignment title

16. Scanning a text
for relevance
Skimming a text
for relevance

17. Scan / skim? To read or not to read?
Read the contents pages and indexes
Read the introduction/concluding chapter of a
book or paragraph of a paper or article
Read the abstract
Read the first or last line of each paragraph
in a chapter or paper
Read to confirm the suitability of a
selected text
Read to a section before you
decide to read it in detail
Go over a section after you have read it in detail, to refresh your understanding

18. • Contents pages and indexes;
• The introduction/concluding
chapter of a book or paragraph
of a paper or article;
• The abstract;
• The first or last line of each
paragraph in a chapter or
paper.
Scanning a text
for relevance
Skimming a text
for relevance
• Confirm the suitability of a
selected text
• Preview a section before you
decide to read it in detail
• Go over a section after you
have read it in detail, to refresh
your understanding

19. Filter the text critically
1. Abstract
2. Summary
3. Headings and subheading / topic sentences
4. Introductions / conclusions
5. Boxes and diagrams
Filter relevant information from the selected text
Keep a record of what has been read (reading grid)
Author
Year
Title
Overview of
the contents
Relation to
assignment
question
Useable
quotes
Scanning a text for relevance

21. Being
critical in
your
reading
a. Is the source reputable and appropriate?
b. What exactly is the author arguing?
c. What are the minor conclusions or key points?
d. What evidence is used to support the argument and key points?
e. How strong is the evidence? Is it really related to your essay title?
f. How does this information compare with that from other sources?
g. What do you disagree with, or are not convinced about?
h. Is there anything you don’t understand and need to look up later?

22. Keep a hold of the sources you found
•Library Search
•Resources for your subject
•Google Scholar EndNote

23. Self-study
• https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/skills/contextagon
• https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/choosingsources/
• https://www.carrollcc.edu/uploadedFiles/CarrollCCedu/Content/PD
F/CarrollLibraryDocs/Evaluating%20Information%20Sources.pdf