LING 402 ACADEMIC DISCOURSE PRACTICES: A critical approach

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LING 402 - ACADEMIC DISCOURSE PRACTICES A
critical approach

• Week 1 ACADEMIC READING
• Introduction to postgraduate academic texts and
  reading practices

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Outline of todays session

• Questions about reading for postgraduate studies
  discussion in small groups
• Some tips for academic reading
• Presentation on
• Why read?
• Types of sources for postgraduate study
• Levels of reading
• Discussion of issues arising

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Things to consider in relation to reading for
postgraduate studies

• REFLECT ON YOUR PREVIOUS READING EXPERIENCE (Work
  in groups of three four)
• WHY READ? List as many reasons as your group can
  think of
• WHAT DID YOU READ for your previous studies?
• What types of sources did you read?
• How much did you read for a course/module in your
  previous studies?
• Did you read anything that was not directly
  linked with the lecture or the assessment?
• HOW DID YOU READ?
• How did you read? (in one go?, where?, etc)
• Did you take notes while reading (where did you
  make the notes?)
• Why did you read this way?
• What were the advantages and disadvantages of
  doing it this way?
• WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE CHALLENGES of reading for
  postgraduate study?
• Discuss
• ways you can help yourselves ) with the reading
  on the course

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TIPS FOR READINGWays you can help yourselves

• Dealing with new terminology note down each new
  term / concept and examples of how it is used,
  until you feel you have got it. Maybe keep a
  special notebook for this.
• Keep notes find a method which suits you work
  on this NOW.
• Keep organised records of what you read.
• Make a note of everything you read in your study
  journal record, evaluate, link to other work
  etc.
• Make sure in your notes the voice is clear i.e.
  which ideas are from the text and which ideas are
  your own (helps to avoid plagiarism).
• Maybe use two or more coloured pens to
  distinguish what the author said from your
  reactions, opinions, etc.
• ..

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and ways you can help each other

• Form a reading group of about four or five people
  and then meet up about once a week to
• report back to each other on a set of readings
  that you have shared out (this way you get to
  know about 4 5 papers but only read one)
• Discuss your views on one really important paper
  that you have all read hearing other peoples
  responses helps you develop a critical
  perspective
• Talk through things you dont understand with
  someone you get along well with
• .
• .

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Happy reading ..