Postgraduate reading guide

Advice on how to approach reading for your course

Covered in this guide

• Why reading matters at postgraduate level
• Strategic reading
• Critical reading and writing

Why reading matters at postgraduate level

Reading is central to postgraduate study. It is not just about gathering information, but about engaging deeply with complex ideas, identifying gaps in knowledge, and contributing to academic conversations. At this level, reading becomes a tool for independent learning, research development, and critical thinking. 

Postgraduate reading is often more self-directed. You are expected to explore beyond the core texts, evaluate sources independently, and synthesise diverse perspectives to support your own academic work. 

What makes postgraduate reading different?

Postgraduate reading is more than just reading more – it’s about reading differently. Key characteristics include: 

• Critical engagement: You are expected to question, critique, and compare ideas rather than simply understand or summarise them. This means identifying key arguments, evaluating evidence, and recognising underlying assumptions
• Research orientation: Reading is often driven by your own research questions or dissertation topic. You’ll need to assess how each source contributes to your understanding or challenges your perspective
• In-depth: You’ll often read in much greater detail, focusing on nuance, argumentation, and methodology
• Developing your academic voice: As you read, you are also shaping your own scholarly identity. This involves reflecting on how texts influence your thinking, how you position yourself in relation to other scholars, and how you integrate reading into your writing

Reading at this level is an active, reflective, and analytical process. It’s about making connections, identifying patterns, and building a foundation for your own contributions to your field.  

Strategic reading

Postgraduate study can involve a high volume of reading, but not all texts require the same level of attention. Strategic reading means approaching texts with clear purpose and using different techniques depending on your goals. 

Reading lists

You will be provided with reading lists by your course. You access your reading lists from the ‘Reading List’ section on your course page in Moodle. 

Most readings are available online. The key readings in your lists will be available via direct links. The recommended or optional readings may require you to use Discovery tool to find the reading. 

Setting reading goals

Before you begin reading, ask yourself: 

• Why am I reading this? (e.g. for a seminar, literature review, essay, or personal interest)
• What do I need to find out? (e.g. key arguments, methodology, evidence, theoretical framework)
• How will I use this information? (e.g. to support an argument, critique a theory, identify a research gap)

Having a clear purpose helps you stay focused and avoid getting overwhelmed. 

Reading techniques: skimming, scanning, and in-depth reading

Different tasks call for different reading strategies. Use these flexibly depending on your purpose. 

Skimming – grasping the main ideas

Skimming helps you get a quick overview of a text. Focus on: 

• Introductions and conclusions
• Headings and subheadings
• First and last sentences of paragraphs

This is useful when previewing a text or deciding if it’s worth deeper reading. 

Scanning – locating specific information

Scanning is ideal when you need to find a particular detail. Look for: 

• Keywords or phrases
• Visual cues such as numbers, italics, or capital letters

This technique is especially useful when reviewing articles for specific methods, findings, or references. 

In-depth reading – engaging critically

Use this when a text is central to your research. It involves: 

• Careful, slow reading
• Annotating or note-taking
• Asking critical questions (e.g. What is the argument? What assumptions are made?)

This is the most time-intensive method, so reserve it for high-value texts that directly inform your thinking or writing. 

Listen to articles and books

Journal articles and e-books are increasingly available in audio format or in text formats that can be read aloud. Using the Read Aloud feature in Microsoft’s Edge browser is a good option. See the Listen to articles and books guide. 

AI and reading

Care is needed when using Generative AI in your studies. Third-party copyrighted material (such as a journal article) must not be uploaded to generative AI tools without permission. See Copyright and AI for further details. 

Possible uses of AI to assist with your reading include: 

• Clarification – for example, if you’re not sure you’ve fully understood a reading you could ask a GenAI to explain the concept and discuss it further
• Summarising – you could use AI to summarise or re-structure the notes you have made from multiple readings

Critical reading and writing

At postgraduate level, reading and writing are deeply interconnected. Critical reading is not just about understanding what a text says—it’s about evaluating how and why it says it and using that insight to inform your own academic writing. 

Reading critically

Critical reading involves: 

• Identifying the main argument or position
• Evaluating the evidence and reasoning
• Recognising assumptions, biases, or gaps
• Considering the context and comparing with other perspectives 
• Critically engaging with the author’s background and perspective, and considering alternative, especially post-colonial, worldviews

Ask yourself: 

• What is the author’s purpose?  
• Is the evidence convincing and relevant?  
• How does this relate to other texts or theories I’ve encountered?  
• What are the implications of this argument? 

This kind of questioning helps you move from passive reading to active engagement. 

Reading with writing in mind

When reading for a writing task—such as an essay, literature review, or your dissertation—you should: 

• Extract relevant arguments and evidence
• Observe how authors structure arguments and use sources 
• Consider how the text informs your research question

Rather than reading everything in full, focus on what will directly support your writing goals. 

Using sources effectively

Good academic writing depends on how well you integrate what you’ve read. This includes: 

• Summarising and paraphrasing accurately
• Quoting selectively and purposefully
• Citing all sources properly to avoid plagiarism 

As you read, make notes with writing in mind—how might this source support or challenge your argument? 

Developing your academic voice

Critical reading and writing help you: 

• Understand the state of knowledge in your field 
• Position your work within existing debates
• Build a reasoned argument informed by, but not dependent on, other scholars  
• Contribute your own perspective with clarity and confidence