Reading

Make Your Reading Efficient and Effective

Everyone finds reading academic texts boring at times. If you sometimes switch off and stop taking in information, there are some simple reading techniques that can help. They can save you time and make your reading more engaging.

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Reading Tips

Read the introduction and conclusion of the text first, to get a feel for the themes and message of the text.
When reading areas of text that are not directly relevant, skim read: essentially read quickly, and keep your eyes open for relevant key words. When you find more important areas of the text, slow down, and take time to understand the text fully.
Always read for a purpose! If it helps, turn text headings into questions before you start reading (see video tutorial above). Or you can simply ask some questions of your own. For example: how is this useful to my essay? What do I want to find out from this text? What is the author’s argument or perspective? Do I agree with their outlook?

Reading: Turning a Heading into a Question

Questioning the text whilst reading is a great way to get more out of your readings. A simple trick is to turn a heading into a question. For example, this video demonstrates how to change a chapter heading into a question that you can then look to answer whilst reading the chapter.

TextHelp: Reading a PDF

Using TextHelp you can have your computer read PDFs back to you. This video will also show you how to copy research text into a mind map and hyperlink it to the web page it came from.

TextHelp: Saving Text as a Sound File

You can save text as an MP3 audio file. This could allow you to listen to text on an MP3 player whilst travelling, for example. You may want to try listening to the text and also follow a hard copy to make your reading multisensory (which simply means that you will be taking in the information through more than one sense). Listening and reading text in such a way can also help improve reading and spelling ability.

ClaroRead: Read, Copy & Paste, Hyperlink

Using ClaroRead you can have your computer read PDFs back to you. This video will also show you how to copy research text into a mind map and hyperlink it to the web page it came from.

ClaroRead: Saving Text as a Sound File

ClaroRead: Reading a PDF

This video looks at how to search for key words in PDFs, listen to text using Claro read, and then transfer the information into your mind map.

Word: Reading in Word

If you end up reading text while in Word, there are few things you can do to make reading more comfortable.

Windows 7: Changing the Background colour

There is evidence that reading is made easier for some people if we change the background colour from white to a light colour. The terms ‘Scotopic Sensitivity’ Or ‘Visual Stress’ have been used to identify a specific disorder, though it is not recognised by all medical institutions. That said, many people find that reading on a light yellow or light blue background is much easier than on a white background. This video will show you how you can try different background colours on your computer.

Demo Version

This section is not included in the demonstration version. For a free trial of the extended functionality, or to purchase the full version, please visit the Succeed website

Online Research

Google Scholar: Search for Academic Texts

Google Scholar allows you to search exclusively for academic texts. This video shows this academic search facility in action and provides a few additional tips on using Google Scholar.

Using 'Find': Ctrl+F

You can quickly find key words in Word, Excel, PDF documents, Internet pages and emails by using the Find command. This video shows you how it’s done.

Dragon: Internet Research

You can use Dragon to search the Internet. You could be in the middle of dictating text, and want to search for something online. This video shows you how you can search the web using Dragon.

Digital Notetaking

Record Information in a way that suits You

It is important to record information while studying. But notes don’t have to be hand written, or linear. There are a number of ways you can make notes. Find the one that suits you best.

Word and Dragon: Note making using Bullet Points

Dragon is ideal for making notes. This video will show you how you can quickly run off your notes in Word.

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You can use mind mapping mind mapping software to make notes. Information in mind maps tends to be more memorable than normal linear notes. Alternatively, you can use a Dictaphone to record your thoughts on the go. See the section below on 'Using the Olympus Recorder' to record lectures which can also be applied to taking personal notes.

Note Taking in Lectures

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Using the ‘Cornell Method’ for Note Taking in Lectures

You may find that dividing an A4 page into sections makes note taking more effective. Click on the Word icon to the right to download a template that you can use and print off. See below for information on the Cornell Method and how to use this template.

Record
During the lecture, use the Notes Column to record information. Try to abbreviate and use your own words.
Rehearse and Clarify

After the lecture concisely summarise key concepts or facts in the Recall Column. This can help clarify meanings and concept relationships as well as help you remember information.

These 2 steps are fundamental when making notes in lectures. Steps 3,4 and 5 below are more useful for revision. Ideally you will carry those steps anyway, but if you don’t, steps 1 and 2 are a good start.
Recite
Cover the notes column and use the Recall Column to call to mind as much of the lecture as possible. You can even say it out loud which aids memorisation.
Reflect
What do think about the arguments or facts in your notes? Again, engaging with the content of the notes will aid memorisation.
Review
Review everything you have written.

Olympus Dictaphone: Key Functions

This Video takes you through the key functions on the Olympus recorder: how to record, change the setting and mark points in your recording.

Olympus Sonority: Transferring Recordings

Your Olympus Dictaphone comes with software that allows you to upload recordings onto your computer and catalogue them. This video shows how to upload recordings, rename them, speed up, slow down and clarify the playback, and finally, file your recordings.

Olympus Dictaphone: Editing Recordings

This video shows how to chop up your recordings into separate files. This can be useful if you need to break down a recording into sections.

Audio Notetaker: Editing & Note making

Audio Notetaker allows you to chop up your recordings into sections and label each section. This can be useful when taking notes from audio recordings.

Audio Notetaker: Editing Sound Files

You can use Audio Notetaker to assist you when going through your recordings and taking notes from them, especially lecture recordings. This video shows how to import recordings from Olympus Sonority into Audio Notetaker and how to start processing recordings in Audio Notetaker.