ZEL 3115: COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Academic Reading Skills
Purpose of reading
• In a university context, reading is mainly for academic purposes. The purpose vary from one
student to another and may be to:
o Obtain information (facts, data)
o Understand ideas and theories
o Discover the view points of authors
o Seek evidence for your own point of view
o Quote information in your assignments, essays, reports etc
• Generally people read for:
o Pleasure, entertainment
o General information
o Instructions or directions
Types of reading
• Light reading
o Does not aim at digesting the material or assessing it critically
o It is fast and superficial
• Word for word reading
o Slow and careful analytical reading
o With unfamiliar words and scientific formula
o Demands high level of concentration
o It is time consuming
• Extensive reading
o Reading for enjoyment and to develop general reading skills
o Reading longer texts for pleasure
o Large amounts of reading
o To facilitate acquisition and learning of vocabulary
o Reading longer tests or large quantities for general understanding with the intention of
enjoying the texts
• Intensive reading
o Involves reading in detail with specific learning aims and tasks
o Reading shorter texts extracting specific information
o Accurate reading for details
o Reading with concentration and great care in order to get the message
• Survey
o Taking a general view or looking over a reading text to determine its relevance and
worth for a specific reading purpose
Academic Reading Skills
Purpose of reading
• In a university context, reading is mainly for academic purposes. The purpose vary from one
student to another and may be to:
o Obtain information (facts, data)
o Understand ideas and theories
o Discover the view points of authors
o Seek evidence for your own point of view
o Quote information in your assignments, essays, reports etc
• Generally people read for:
o Pleasure, entertainment
o General information
o Instructions or directions
Types of reading
• Light reading
o Does not aim at digesting the material or assessing it critically
o It is fast and superficial
• Word for word reading
o Slow and careful analytical reading
o With unfamiliar words and scientific formula
o Demands high level of concentration
o It is time consuming
• Extensive reading
o Reading for enjoyment and to develop general reading skills
o Reading longer texts for pleasure
o Large amounts of reading
o To facilitate acquisition and learning of vocabulary
o Reading longer tests or large quantities for general understanding with the intention of
enjoying the texts
• Intensive reading
o Involves reading in detail with specific learning aims and tasks
o Reading shorter texts extracting specific information
o Accurate reading for details
o Reading with concentration and great care in order to get the message
• Survey
o Taking a general view or looking over a reading text to determine its relevance and
worth for a specific reading purpose
