Help! I can't cope with all this reading
Year 3 brings a big step up in the volume of reading that you have to do - every week. Most students find this difficult, so here are a few pointers:
Repeat
Don't just read a textbook chapter once. Try to read it through quickly the first time. Skip bits you find difficult. Then read it a second and even a third time - you will pick up more when you go over it again. Another trick is to read the text and look at the examples separately.
Summarise
Use the chapter summaries in text books and test your understanding by jotting down the main points covered.
Practice
If there are examples in the text or questions at the end of the chapter, try to answer them. Don't just read them, get your pencil and calculator out and work through the practical examples. This will show you which sections you haven't understood and it will reinforce your learning.
You don't have to read every word
Skip sections you find difficult, come back to them later. Work as a group with your fellow students, take a section each, summarise and explain them to each other.
Search the Internet
Use Google or a similar search engine to find other arrticles and references to your topic. Sometimes these will be explained more simply, so that you can get an idea of the overall meaning, then you can return to the textbook with an idea of where you are going with the topic.
Target the tutorials
Each weeks' tutorial topics are designed to help you learn the subject. Focus your reading on what you need to do to prepare for the tutorials. Later on, you can use the same technique to practice providing answers to past examination questions.
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