Faculty Advice on Reading
Reading for understanding, for information, for challenge, and for enjoyment are, not surprisingly, reasons that University of Oregon faculty give when asked why students should read. When we asked our colleagues what advice they would give current and incoming students about reading, they overwhelmingly encouraged you to read often and with an eye to evaluation and analysis. Kathleen Karlyn, an English professor specializing in film, comments: "Students need to read widely among the many kinds of texts they encounter in our world, from print texts to sound and visual texts. They also need to develop strong critical skills suited to each medium."
And Paul Peppis, an English professor specializing in twentieth-century literature, notes, "I'm convinced that developing skills of active, responsive, and critical thinking are increasingly crucial for succeeding in any field or endeavor at a moment in history when life itself is becoming increasingly fast-paced, complex, and dynamic. Reading is a probing and rigorous activity (as opposed, say, to TV watching which often encourages mental passivity). Active reading helps us to become more thoughtful people, people more likely to succeed in our dealings with others, in our jobs, and in our own personal goals."
Reading critically can also enhance your own sense of place and your own sense of possibilities, emphasizes History professor, William Toll, who notes that "reading history is not about a chronology of events, but about understanding yourself and society as the product of change. You need to set you opinions and the institutions you live in into the context of broad patterns of change."
His words are echoed in what we learned from Tim Gleason, Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication, who said, "Knowledge is power. Reading is the only way to learn about the complexity of the world and to understand it. Unless you read -- and read a lot -- you will not learn how to write well or how to speak well. If you want to make a difference in the world, you must read. So be an aggressive, engaged reader. Always be asking why it is the writer telling me this and why is it important?"
Reading can also be a way to experience and gain an understanding of other cultures. Wendy Larson, professor of Chinese and East Asian Languages and Literatures, reminds us that "the best way to start reading fiction from an unfamiliar culture is to read with an open mind and realize that you don't have to understand everything right away. Reading even a few stories can open doors to new ways of thinking about things." And James L. Rice, professor of Russian, urges us to take advantage of the library: "Seek out a good library and take the time to browse through other books shelved in the same areas. This luxurious habit improves the quality of your education immeasurably, tuition free. Just follow your nose!" Engaging in critical reading does not always mean we approach texts in narrow and focused ways.
And although you might imagine that a biology professor or a political scientist would recommend you undertake readings from within his or her own field of study, you will just as likely find professors recommending reading from a wide range of fields. Biology professor, Karen Sprague explains, for example, that "the best preparation for college-level biology comes from a curiosity about the natural world, but reading books can help foster that curiosity. If reading encourages efforts to understand observed phenomena, great. In general, though, I'd say that voracious reading of anything is good preparation for science -- because it makes the mind livelier."
Reading widely thus helps you make connections between texts, and the cacophony of ideas and styles you encounter will cultivate your imagination and prepare you for future intellectual endeavors. William Davies, professor of Philosophy, asserts that reading and thinking and writing are all interwoven. He says, "Why do I think reading is important? The question makes my jaw drop. I can't imagine what life would be without reading! Be willing to reread difficult material as needed, until you understand it. To my amazement, I find that many students expect to 'get it' the first time through. I do think that good reading skills are the most important predictor of success in college studies, right up there with good writing skills."
