Go away I am reading!!
This is my mantra these days, and trust me when I say that people have been avoiding me because of the impossible race I am currently running.
As you begin your PhD, one of the toughest things you need to figure out is to get through a mammoth amount of reading. To be honest I am struggling to keep up with the sheer amount of reading which maybe someday will help me to make an insightful, beneficial and novel contribution to knowledge in my field. Wishful thinking, once more! You may claim to be a reader, but once you enter the world of academic research, you’ll discover that any old approach to reading will not cut it.
As a beginner in this domain, I would like to share some tips that might help you cope with the large amount of reading in a reasonable way. This list will continue to evolve as time passes.
I am gradually finding my own method to deal with this challenging and crucial task in my PhD journey:
Create a distraction free environment
First of all, put your phone on mute and keep it away from you. It really makes a difference! I do some of my best reading in a nearly empty library or a peaceful nook at home, it depends upon the day of the week what works best for me. Another big feather on my cap, I have cancelled my Netflix subscription! That itself is a step towards dedicating more time for reading.
Scan the text
Get a sense of the text in front of you. Scan the headings, look at any visual materials and of course read the abstract. I am tempted to read everything on the first attempt, but lately I have been avoiding doing it.
Speed reading
I have been speed reading these days. While doing this I am reading the whole paper, highlighting the keywords and my area of interest. At the end I try to summarize in my mind the main idea of the paper. This strategy has been very helpful to reduce my reading time.
Read for understanding
This is the time when you slow down, put on your critical thinking hat and read the paper again, this time everything! Yes, it will take time, but I think with more practice I can cut down on the time. Dive in, find the information you need, highlight the parts you feel you need to focus on and I do scribble my thoughts or put my own headings at the side column. Note down the key points from the paper to avoid having to re-read the paper. Read for understanding, not to memorize every detail.
Take a break
Ideally after a breakthrough I take a break! Now my breakthrough includes understanding a difficult concept or maybe finally finishing reading that tough paper and getting a grasp of what it’s trying to say. Break for me means hydrating, walking around like a zombie immersed in my own thoughts, or getting my dopamine rush by checking all the ever so important notifications on my phone!
My overworked eyes
Imagine spending your day looking at this digital display. But dear old eyes, I feel for them! This year I am blessed with reading glasses; the ophthalmologist told me it’s the age factor! Yes, another one had to pick on that. But on a serious note, do give the eye a break and let it rest. Increase the font size of all your digital gadgets, there is no shame in that.
Change is constant
Take time to reflect on the strategy that you are following for your reading. Changing your typical way of reading might at first feel a bit unfamiliar, but I encourage you to embrace this feeling and to knowingly reflect upon the changes you experience. Figure out which step causes you trouble and try fine-tuning it. Keep adjusting your reading style till you get it right.
Make time for reading
However busy life gets, on a daily basis a reading routine has to be set. You have to set a reading target daily. Starting a reading routine is just like starting up an exercise regime or changing eating patterns. It’s easy to start out with good intentions and then lapse and feel guilty. You do need support for your reading initially, lucky if you have a peer group for that.
Academic reading is challenging, but you can simplify it. No matter the length or difficulty of the next text on your stack of literature, you should now be ready to tackle it. Remember we cannot write unless we are reading, immersing ourselves in the arguments, debates and conversations we need to contribute to with our research. Here’s to making your academic reading task pleasurable!
Love, from forever a slow reader :)
