Learning Unit 2: Academic Skills
Theme 1: Reading Skills
1. Critical reading
Purpose Thorough reading to enhance understanding, and to examine the text in
depth.
Technique 1. Read through the text carefully
2. Highlight key words or important passages
3. Make comments and notes of insights you get
4. Draw conclusions from the contents of the text
5. Analyze the text by asking questions such as:
Who is the author?
Who is the audience?
What is the context in which the text was written?
What are the implied values and attitudes that inform the
text?
What is the focus of the text?
What type of language is used? Is it objective or subjective?
Are emotive words used?
Situation It can be used for research, studying, and agreeing or disagreeing with an
argument (debate).
2. Study reading
Purpose To learn, understand and remember.
Technique Similar to critical reading whereby you read through the text carefully and in
detail. Strategies to use in study/interactive reading:
Look for the topic sentence of each paragraph
Identify the main idea of each paragraph. It can either be in the
introduction, middle or final sentence in the paragraph.
Make notes to find links between different parts of the text. Find the
relationship the different parts have with one another.
Linking words/connectors are important because they can assist
you in finding the main ideas and how they are being developed as
well as point out contrasting arguments. Examples: conversely,
however, in the first place, to conclude.
Ensure that difficult concepts are understood, so full understanding
of the text is reached.
Situation Can be used for studying, and revision.
3. Skimming
Purpose Find information quickly, and to revise work.
Technique 1. Go through the work quickly
2. Read any headings or bold/italicized words
3. Read through the first and last paragraphs in the text as these will
briefly give the main points of a text
, 4. Read through the first sentence of every paragraph as this will
generally supply the main points of that paragraph.
5. Read any abstracts/summaries if provided, especially for longer
texts.
Situation Can be used to:
Find out if texts are relevant.
Determine whether it will be worth your while to read the material.
Get a basic idea of the content.
Revise work that you’ve already mastered.
Find the main ideas in a text.
4. Scanning
Purpose Find information in a text, such as a word, quote or number.
Technique Keep an image of the item you are looking for in your mind and then
run your eyes quickly over the page until you find the item.
Alternatively, you can use your finger or a pencil to run down the
page; this will also force your eyes to move quickly over writing.
Situation Used to find a specific number, quote or word quickly or if you want to see
if a paragraph in a text has the information you are looking for.
Theme 1: Reading Skills
1. Critical reading
Purpose Thorough reading to enhance understanding, and to examine the text in
depth.
Technique 1. Read through the text carefully
2. Highlight key words or important passages
3. Make comments and notes of insights you get
4. Draw conclusions from the contents of the text
5. Analyze the text by asking questions such as:
Who is the author?
Who is the audience?
What is the context in which the text was written?
What are the implied values and attitudes that inform the
text?
What is the focus of the text?
What type of language is used? Is it objective or subjective?
Are emotive words used?
Situation It can be used for research, studying, and agreeing or disagreeing with an
argument (debate).
2. Study reading
Purpose To learn, understand and remember.
Technique Similar to critical reading whereby you read through the text carefully and in
detail. Strategies to use in study/interactive reading:
Look for the topic sentence of each paragraph
Identify the main idea of each paragraph. It can either be in the
introduction, middle or final sentence in the paragraph.
Make notes to find links between different parts of the text. Find the
relationship the different parts have with one another.
Linking words/connectors are important because they can assist
you in finding the main ideas and how they are being developed as
well as point out contrasting arguments. Examples: conversely,
however, in the first place, to conclude.
Ensure that difficult concepts are understood, so full understanding
of the text is reached.
Situation Can be used for studying, and revision.
3. Skimming
Purpose Find information quickly, and to revise work.
Technique 1. Go through the work quickly
2. Read any headings or bold/italicized words
3. Read through the first and last paragraphs in the text as these will
briefly give the main points of a text
, 4. Read through the first sentence of every paragraph as this will
generally supply the main points of that paragraph.
5. Read any abstracts/summaries if provided, especially for longer
texts.
Situation Can be used to:
Find out if texts are relevant.
Determine whether it will be worth your while to read the material.
Get a basic idea of the content.
Revise work that you’ve already mastered.
Find the main ideas in a text.
4. Scanning
Purpose Find information in a text, such as a word, quote or number.
Technique Keep an image of the item you are looking for in your mind and then
run your eyes quickly over the page until you find the item.
Alternatively, you can use your finger or a pencil to run down the
page; this will also force your eyes to move quickly over writing.
Situation Used to find a specific number, quote or word quickly or if you want to see
if a paragraph in a text has the information you are looking for.
