Getting the Most Out of Reading for Classes: Part 1

Students ask me frequently about reading. The first question is, how do I get through all this material when my time is limited?

There is no easy answer to this question. As I mentioned in my last blog, when I was in graduate school there was one particular course/module which took 1-2 days of preparation every week, and most of that time was spent reading. That is a common experience for graduate students. It is important to remember that the MBA or MSc at University of Leicester is a graduate degree; for a graduate degree students are expected to read complex theoretical materials in their field. These types of readings take time. Moreover, the comprehensive exams require that all students have a breadth of knowledge that is only possible if you read the module texts more than once.

However, it is possible to see that module texts can be easier if the student considers a few of the following pointers:
1. Read actively using your mind to see the organization of the chapters
2. Engage with any and all visual aids and charts in the module texts
3. Read thematically. Try to see the module materials/texts as an interlocking whole guided by the consciousness of the writer.
4. Use coloured highlighter markers to distinguish a major idea from its component parts. For example, mark all the major concepts in blue and the the steps or sub-categories in pink.
5. Do not hesitate to annotate or summarize in the margins of your module texts or use sticky notes as a guide when you return to the text a second time.

Using these strategies to read your module texts will, in the long run, make the time you spend engaging with the text more effective. This is the secret to many steps of learning. If you spend the time up front learning and organizing materials, the time spent later is less burdensome and more effective. Reading thematically assists the reader to look for main ideas and distinguish them from minor points. This is a crucial aid to better understanding when one approaches thick and complex module texts that must be digested wholesale to complete the module.

Next week, we will discuss post-reading strategies and how they can enhance learning to help create greater understanding of the module and improve exam grades.

KB