How
to Read
Bernice L. Hausman
English Department
Virginia Tech
Contact
Info:
206 Shanks Hall, 231-5076
homepage
Email: bhausman @ vt.edu
What this page is for:
How to read any given assignment depends, of course, on the kind of writing you are required to read. The main purpose of this page is to give you information about how to read for the specific kinds of classes that Professor Hausman teaches. Reading is not just moving your eyes across the page; reading involves thinking, understanding, annotating, and asking questions.
How to read:
Reading is the main way that you prepare for each class period, as there will invariably be a reading assignment from which any given class discussion will take off. Professor Hausman's classes are often chock full of theory, which can be slow going, so make sure that you give yourself adequate time to complete the assignment for each class. This usually means 1-2 hours for an undergraduate class, and 2-3 hours for a graduate class (longer if the class only meets once per week).
For a theory class, read with a dictionary at your side, and be prepared to go to the library with a list of words that need more thorough examination, in a dictionary of philosophy, for example, or an encyclopedia of literary criticism. Feminist theory readings are often profitably augmented with a book like Rosemarie Tong's Feminist Theory: An introduction. Theoretical readings are often difficult to understand on a first go, so be prepared to feel like you don't know quite what's going on. If you can formulate a question about what you don't know, you are on the right track. Make sure to take notes, even if you are just jotting marginalia in the volume (not in library books, however!).
Fictional texts , such as novels or stories, are often easier than theory to read at first, but no less difficult to understand than theory. The basic building blocks of storytelling are plot, character, and setting or context. Come to class with a full understanding of each of these elements from the assigned reading. If you have questions about any of these elements of fiction, jot them down in your notes. Sometimes writing in the margins of a novel or story can make reading seem more like work, but if you want to track particular word usage or plot lines, such note-taking can be valuable (and save time when writing papers later!). If you don't like to write while you read fiction, make sure to jot down some thoughts after you've finished reading, if only some questions about the turn of the plot or the development of character so far. Many stories require an extensive vocabulary, so read with a dictionary (as when you read theory).
Reading well:
Reading well means that when you are involved in class discussion you will be interacting with other students and the professor developing an interpretation of the reading or ideas expressed in it. Sometimes a reading assignment will be so difficult that class time is spent explicating the text at a very basic level. Most times, however, class discussion will be aimed at expanding on the ideas in the text, or interpreting the story in the assignment. Reading well means that you can participate in the production of knowledge in the classroom through active engagement with your classmates and the professor. Thus, reading well means coming to class with ideas, not just having pushed through the assigned pages.