Reading at University

There are lots of different reading materials available to you at University. Building reading skills at university-level takes time, but regular practice will help you understand academic writing and boost your confidence when completing assignments and exams.

As a Warwick student, you have access to:

1 million+ books

1.2 million+ e-books

150,000+ journals

When you start at University, you'll find that a lot of useful academic materials for your modules will be collated in a Reading ListLink opens in a new window and will be available from the Library (either physically or electronically).

As you progress, you'll need to engage with a variety of literature in order to support your own arguments and evidence your ideas. Independent research is highly encouraged and valued as it helps deepen your understanding of a topic and encourages you to develop an original perspective.

Support with your Reading List

Finding academic sources

To succeed in assessments and exams, you need to find, read, and use reliable academic sources:

Finding reliable sources

It can be difficult to tell a good source of information from a bad one, and many people are unsure what describing something as an 'academic' source means. It is important, however, that you are able to identify reliable sources for your work. Investing time to build your confidence in this area will pay off in your assessments and beyond.

How do I know what makes a source reliable?

When choosing sources, focus on books and articles that have been published by scholarly publishers or in peer-reviewed journals. If they have been published in this way, they have been peer-reviewed.
'Peer review' means the work has gone through a review by another subject expert to make sure it a high standard before it is published.
Even if you disagree with the author's methods, findings or thinking, you can trust that peer-reviewed sources are of high-quality and are reliably 'academic' source at the least.
These are the resources you will find if you search on Library Search or in one of our Library databases.

Subject Guides

Your Subject Guide is a really easy way to find trusted resources for your course.

Links to key resources like books, e-books and articles.
Signpost to relevant databases for your subject.
Recommended websites that will be helpful for you.

Find your Subject GuideLink opens in a new window on the Library Website.

Library Search

Library Search is Warwick's tool to let you search the Library collection.

Locate a wide range of academic sources to support your research.
Use different filters to refine your results, such as by language, discipline (course area), or library location.
You can also select your content type, such as 'article' or 'book'

Use the Library SearchLink opens in a new window

Databases

Explore databases to find unique sources that extend your research beyond standard texts.

Specialist indexes (e.g. British and International patents, standards, financial data, legal information).
Full-text archives (e.g. historical documents, images, newspapers).

Find databasesLink opens in a new window for your subject

Warwick's Archive Collection Finding diverse sources

Much scholarly literature and information is dominated by white authors from Europe and North America. It is important:

You to find and access more diverse source materials,
Broaden out and diversify your reading and academic work
Strengthen your research by including various perspectives.

Look at the library's Decolonisation topic guide to find resources on indigenous research methods and inclusive citation.

If want to further your knowledge in understanding and interpreting information, you can complete the Library's online course in Understanding information: in academia and beyond.Link opens in a new window

male student searching on a laptop in the library

How to search for academic sources:

1. Plan your search: Planning your search is an important first step when looking for information. Having a sense of the questions you are trying to answer and the type of information you are hoping to find, will help make information searching more manageable.

2. Start with keywords: Effective research starts with choosing the right keywords. Break your topic into key terms and combine them in different ways when searching Library Search or academic databases. Research is an iterative process, so expect to refine and repeat your searches.

For example if you were researching listeners' emotional reactions to rock music, you might use keywords like:
Music genres: 'music', 'rock', 'metal', 'pop',
Emotions: 'emotion', 'feelings', 'affect' 'mood',
Audience: 'fan' 'experience', 'listener',
Fields: 'psychology', and 'cognition'.

3. Combine keywords
Mix and match them in different variations to find the academic books and articles related to your research question.

Top Tip: Good searching takes time and patience

'You may need to do more than one search, particularly for a dissertation or extended project, to ensure you find all the relevant sources you need. Literature searching is an iterative process - a cycle of search, review, revise, search again. So, be patient and take your time to get your search right and to find the resources you need.'

Jackie Hanes, Research and Academic Support Librarian, Economics, Law and Philosophy

Who can help you find sources?

Research and Academic Support Librarians- They can help you (in-person or via email) with searching and choosing trusted sources for your academic work. You can find details of your department's Librarian on the library website.Link opens in a new window
Your Module Tutors/Leaders- They can advise on the best sources for your subject and assignments when you want to explore beyond your reading list.
Library Helpdesk -They can help you to locate items in that exist in the Library Search. The Helpdesk is located on the 1st floor and is open 7 days a week, 8am-8pm. You can also contact them via email library@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window or call 024 765 22026.

Reading and using academic sources

Top tips:

Mastering academic reading takes practice. These top tips will help you read critically, take effective notes, and showcase your individual academic voice.

Reading

Engage with your Reading List - start with your essential and recommended before exploring further.
Plan your time - reading academic sources is a key part of study, schedule regular reading sessions each week to stay on track.
Don't read everything - you don’t always need to read the entire book or article - focus on relevant sections and use the table of contents or index to decide whether or not you need to read in more depth.
Focus on key chapters or sections - look up key words to find the most useful passages.
Skim and scan first - quickly identify the most relevant sections before reading in depth.

Effective notetaking

Make notes as you read - this will help you when you come to complete assignments, process and remember the information, and revise.
Keep notes organised by topic or theme.
Use methods that work for you - e.g. mind maps, summaries or digital tools can make reading more engaging, organise your ideas and help you to connect links between topics.
Always record key details - such as the author, title, date of publication to ensure that you can reference the item when completing your assignment. Use Microsoft OneNote or Endnote to organise references.
Use your notes - refining and revisiting notes is key, the more you engage with them, the better.

Thinking critically

Students are often unsure what 'critical thinking and analysis' means. Examples include:

Comparing different authors perspectives on the same topic and evaluating which argument is stronger - and why.
Questioning evidence - Is this evidence reliable and valid? Does newer evidence counter previous studies?
Checking assumptions - Has the author made any assumptions? Are they justified?
Identifying gaps or biases - Is there a lack of diverse perspectives? Could the author's background or viewpoint influence their argument?
Think in an interdisciplinary way - Could ideas from other subject fields offer new insights on this topic? Connect concepts across disciplines to deepen your analysis.

Building your academic argument

Start with a clear thesis - after your reading and research, decide on your main point or academic position. This gives your argument a clear direction and focus (this is sometimes called your academic argument or hypothesis).
Support your ideas with evidence - use reliable, academic sources to back up your argument.
Evaluate other perspectives - acknowledge different viewpoints that you may not agree with and reflect on why these arguments may not be as strong.
Structure your work logically - organise ideas so each point builds on the previous one.
Address counterarguments - anticipate objections to your academic argument and respond to them to strengthen your position.

Showcasing your research

Write clearly and academically - check out the Academic Writing Moodle for more guidance.
Follow academic integrity guidelines - reference all the sources you've used in your work to avoid plagiarism.
Use a variety of sources - such as journals, books, articles, and both newer and older research.
Show your academic voice - be confident, creative, and write in your own style! Don't be afraid to disagree - critical engagement and originality is positive!