Einherjar86
Active Member
That's basically it.
In my experience, most professors assign excerpts from longer secondary texts, but occasionally you get into a seminar in which you have to read the whole thing (history seminars are more well-known for this, actually). Eventually you figure out how to read critically without reading completely.
Always read the introductory chapter, which should clue you in to important terms, concepts, and figures. After that, scope out the index and check out relevant passages, or possibly chapters. Definitely pay attention to sections/chapters that appear to relate closely to other reading assigned for the class, if not for that session. The concluding chapter is probably the least important, but I usually think it's fun to read.
These primers are intended to help you figure out where your interests lie, so that you can, on your own time, read the books that spoke to you the most in their entirety.
Finally, I like how the military thread has turned into a "how to read like a grad student" thread.
In my experience, most professors assign excerpts from longer secondary texts, but occasionally you get into a seminar in which you have to read the whole thing (history seminars are more well-known for this, actually). Eventually you figure out how to read critically without reading completely.
Always read the introductory chapter, which should clue you in to important terms, concepts, and figures. After that, scope out the index and check out relevant passages, or possibly chapters. Definitely pay attention to sections/chapters that appear to relate closely to other reading assigned for the class, if not for that session. The concluding chapter is probably the least important, but I usually think it's fun to read.
These primers are intended to help you figure out where your interests lie, so that you can, on your own time, read the books that spoke to you the most in their entirety.
Finally, I like how the military thread has turned into a "how to read like a grad student" thread.