THE MECHANICS OF
(F-09)
Decide whether you’re
skimming or reading critically
switch as appropriate
Skimming
use
the index, subheads etc.
mark
key words
underline
write keyword in margin
keyword on slip of paper or post-it
copy
for future reference
Reading critically
Read
ideas, not words
Read
the footnotes
Interact
in writing
Copy
for interaction
Label everything you copy!
Author,
title, date, page
Staple
or clip pages
Label
music: composer, work, mvt, bar number
Label
JPEGs and PDFs and store intelligently
Use dictionaries and
encyclopedias
Online
is great!
For
unfamiliar words and terms
For
composer or author bios
For
context of musical works
Check-list for précis
Not
necessary to write out – review in your mind, write note on xerox
What is this source? (author, date, place, format, primary vs.
secondary)
What
is author’s purpose?
What
is author’s bottom-line message?
What
can I take home?
Reading online
Skimming
fine – Critical reading difficult,
Print
out to read critically
can print just a few pages
label as above + URL and date
Be
sure you know and understand the source