Postgraduate extra reading

I have started my Masters this year. I had an induction week this week, and my first week of lectures start tomorrow. Last Tuesday/Wednesday I got an email from each lecturer I have on the Monday with the slides for the lecture and extra reading lists.

Now this is where it gets really stupid of me, but please bare with me...

I have printed off my slides accordingly - and have them all ready for Monday. The reading list I have I was going to read through AFTER the lectures, but now I am starting to think I am a massive plank and that the only reason they would be putting up a reading list now is because they want us to read the literature BEFORE the lectures.

I'm ashamed to say that I barely did any extra reading, unless it was for coursework or an exam in my undergraduate degree, so it's a completely new process for me.

Help???

TL;DR - As a masters student, should I be doing the reading list/extra reading BEFORE or AFTER the lecture takes place? Or BOTH??

Reply 1

Welshvisitor

20

You’ll need to be reading before, during and after! A Masters needs a lot more application than you’ve given before so just dive right in and stay focussed all year long. It’s hard to get it all in in just a year so start now - not later.

Reply 2

LordLagsalot

OP

4

Original post by Welshvisitor

You’ll need to be reading before, during and after! A Masters needs a lot more application than you’ve given before so just dive right in and stay focussed all year long. It’s hard to get it all in in just a year so start now - not later.

Thank you for reply, I was now thinking that to be honest. Yeah, I realise that and I want to hit the ground running, rather than reverting to my old uni ways as I know they will not work for this standard.

Original post by LordLagsalot

Thank you for reply, I was now thinking that to be honest. Yeah, I realise that and I want to hit the ground running, rather than reverting to my old uni ways as I know they will not work for this standard.

One of the skills you need to develop is speed reading, so you can skim through a book and get the gist, the chapter structure, the authors basic argument etc. With that in mind, when you go to the lecture you have more context for what you are told about the subject and know when to go back and read the book in greater depth.

The other skill to develop is working out (or asking) which the really key texts are and reading them before, and then catching up with the supporting text during the weekends, vacations etc.

Postgraduate extra reading

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you