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Tips for reading

Hey, I'm dyslexic and just about to start my 3rd year of an animal science degree. However, up until now I have never been able to learn anything from textbooks (have gotten by completely on lecture material). But I'm going into some modules that I need to do background reading for as I haven't taken previous modules for them, plus I need to do some general background research for my dissertation. My issue with textbooks is that I can't take the information and make it my own, so just end up copying out of the book, which is pretty useless.
So my question is does anyone have any tips or techniques which helps them, which I may be able to use to get started with my reading?
Thanks :smile:


Posted from TSR Mobile
Do you mind maps to take down some of the information?
Reply 2
Yeah I sometime do a mind map of sorts, but I just end up with a mess of short sentences and lots of arrows going everywhere, which is fine to start with but no good to read back over. However I really struggle with putting that into actuall written notes


Posted from TSR Mobile
Reply 3
See if watching videos (YouTube, iTunesU) helps you to understand a subject. Mind mapping can help to keep track of reading and make it go in easier.
Original post by Arihc
However, up until now I have never been able to learn anything from textbooks (have gotten by completely on lecture material).

Has the lecture material no text?

But I'm going into some modules that I need to do background reading for as I haven't taken previous modules for them, plus I need to do some general background research for my dissertation. My issue with textbooks is that I can't take the information and make it my own, so just end up copying out of the book, which is pretty useless.

- Well, concerning the dissertation writing: To a great deal, you can learn writing scientific papers and I think it will help you a great deal to have someone, who really teaches you how to write and how to think, when you write a paper. That will make it much easier to find out, how you have to prepare things to be able to write a good paper. I know, I sounds like intelligence, but no, it is technique which will help you to work more effectively which will give you more time when you have to spend more time to prepare texts for you, that they are usable for you.
- Is getting them into audio-versions any help for you?
- Printing them out bigger?
- Learning by heart? (Not very appealing I know.)

One question: --> I understand you, when I assume by "take the information and make it my own" you mean, actually understanding the text and knowing afterwards, what you have read?
Reply 5
Mind maps are annoying (I still hate them to this day because of the extra work) but I think that they have really helped me understand information far better and retain it. Without my mind maps I think that I would have a heck of a lot more spare time, but far less comprehension of what I am reading.

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