Why is effective reading an important part of good writing?

Many international students worry about having to write essays, but good reading habits are equally critical in preparing to write. Reading for study is not the same as reading a story for fun; students need to be quite selective in what they read. You are normally expected to read various articles or textbook chapters before starting to write, and in your writing you are expected to show that you have done so.

At the start of a course students are often given a reading list by their teacher; this may be printed or electronic. The list will often include textbooks, journal articles and websites. But you do not have to read every word of a book because it is on the list. Your teacher will often suggest which pages you should focus on.

If your English is less than perfect you do not have time to waste on reading texts that are irrelevant to the writing task. It is better to understand a few pages well, than attempt to read long articles without clear understanding. The best method is:

a) Read texts extensively to find the most useful sections.

b) Then read intensively in order to make notes.