could you give me some advice how to read academic articles in english??
english is my second language and also I have to read sociological and philosophical texts in english for my master thesis. do you have any idea??
http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/cornellnotes.html
This is one of the best "systems" I've found for reading texts and academic articles. It also works for taking lecture notes in a class. I've used this and I've taught this, and it works!
Another idea for reading difficult works is called SQ3R:
http://www.studygs.net/texred2.htm
If you learn to practice both of these, you should find it easier to handle the information that academic works give you.
=)
I want to ask one more thing.
when I read a text which includes lots of unknown words, fistly I look their meaning one by one. but this method takes long times.what do you think about my method??
thanks a lot for your advice and help:)
Yes, you should read with a good dictionary on hand -- or open online (http://www.answers.com is a good one), but you should also be able to do a fair amount of "guesstimation" based on the sentence in which the words is used -- that is, the context in which the word is used.
Certainly! Here are some tips for reading academic articles in English:
1. Build Vocabulary: Start by building your English vocabulary, as academic texts often contain specialized terminology. Make it a regular practice to learn new words and their meanings, especially those commonly used in your field.
2. Understand the Structure: Familiarize yourself with the typical structure of academic articles. They usually follow a specific format, including abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Knowing this structure will help you navigate through the article more effectively.
3. Skim First, Then Read: Begin by skimming through the article to get a general understanding of the topic, main arguments, and key points. Pay attention to headings, subheadings, and any highlighted sections. This will give you a roadmap for reading more closely.
4. Break it Down: Break the article into smaller sections or paragraphs and focus on understanding one section at a time. Take notes or highlight important points, unfamiliar terms, or key references for further exploration.
5. Use Context Clues: If you encounter unfamiliar words, try to understand the meaning from the surrounding sentences. Pay attention to how the word is used in the context of the article and make educated guesses based on that.
6. Utilize Online Tools: Online dictionaries or translation tools specific to academic language can be helpful in understanding complex terms or phrases. Websites like Merriam-Webster, Oxford Learner's Dictionaries, or even Google Translate can provide assistance.
7. Take Advantage of Summaries and Abstracts: Many articles include abstracts or summaries at the beginning. Read these to quickly grasp the main ideas and decide if the article is relevant to your research.
8. Practice Active Reading: Engage with the text actively. Ask questions, make connections to your prior knowledge, and critically evaluate the arguments presented. This will help you comprehend the content more deeply and extract the information you need for your thesis.
Remember, reading academic articles in a second language takes time and practice. By applying these strategies consistently, you can gradually improve your reading skills and effectively navigate through sociological and philosophical texts for your master's thesis.