Resources

Academic Reading

Reading in an academic context is different from everyday reading. Academic reading requires a more active, probing and recursive strategy than does recreational reading. It is an essential skill for completing a written assignment.

Reading strategically is integral to the process of understanding your topic, finding research materials, and developing your ideas.

Academic reading involves layers of:

  • asking questions
  • reflecting on relationships among parts of the text
  • interpreting meaning
  • making connections with other readings
  • refining your topic and purpose
10%
SPARK York University

Module Objectives

This module on understanding assignments provides strategies for:

  • understanding the general requirements of an academic assignment
  • determining the purpose of an assignment in order to guide the writing process
  • discovering types of assignments and their corresponding signal words
  • noting various disciplinary approaches
  • defining the audience and considering its role in the assignment