Normally students will have a limited amount of time in which to research and complete their essays. It is therefore important for students to start their work early - especially the research for the essay. A good starting point should be your text books. Your research will also require you to use the resources of a Library. Primary Sources (eg. official documents, statistics, photographs etc) should be used as evidence on a topic and Secondary Sources (eg. reviews, critiques, interpretations etc) should be read to obtain a balanced view of a topic. When you start reading for your essay, you may face several problems:
- too much to read in a short span of time
- material which is difficult to understand
- difficulty in selecting material that is relevant and appropriate to the essay topic
What you need is a reading strategy. The most effective technique is SKIM READING. This is not to be confused with haphazard flicking through a book to gain a general impression. Skim reading is a deliberate, purposeful and systematic way of obtaining a complete coverage of a topic in the shortest possible time. This is done by applying the following strict method:
Preliminary Survey: Begin by reading headings, sub-headings etc which will give you an indication of the overall content. Then locate the summary. Most texts will have either a clearly headed Summary or a final summarizing paragraph in each chapter.
Skim the material: If the material seems as though it will be useful, start moving quickly from paragraph to paragraph. You will find that the opening sentences of each paragraph in a passage often provide an outline of the development of ideas in the passage. Skimming will enable you to decide what material you will need to read in more detail and what can be skipped. When you come to a paragraph that is central to your study, switch from skimming to intensive reading.
Remember that when you are reading for an essay, you are reading for a definite purpose and searching for specific information. It is important to read with the question or essay topic constantly in mind.
