Reading nonfiction requires a different skill set than reading fiction does. While some might read nonfiction for pleasure, it is typically read to gain information or to learn how to do something, especially in a school setting. Nonfiction reading often includes catalogues, biographies, history, manuals, directions, recipes, newspapers, magazines and internet articles. Becoming a better reader of nonfiction is a valuable skill that will improve students’ grades and lead to better opportunities in the future.
Reading Nonfiction for Pleasure
Many people read nonfiction for pleasure. Sports fans might read the sports sections of a newspaper, the biography of a favorite player or even a manual about rules for play. Hobbyists might read magazines or books about their particular craft or collection. History buffs might read works that center around a particular time period or biographies of certain historical figures. Reading nonfiction for pleasure is similar to reading fiction for study. The biggest difference for a student is that they are innately interested in nonfiction that they choose to read for pleasure.
Reading Nonfiction as Homework
Reading a chapter in a textbook is a common type of assignment for many students. There are strategies that students can use to comprehend better the material that they read. Assume you are a student who has been assigned to read a chapter in a textbook. First look at the chapter heading. It should give some clue as to the content of the chapter. Next, quickly skim the bold headings that separate out the sections of the chapter. Look for a common thread in the content. Glance at pictures, graphs and other items of interest that within the material. Read through the chapter summary and any questions that are included at the end of the chapter – particularly if a set of the questions have been assigned as homework.
Don’t actually read the chapter until you do the steps above. This will greatly help you pick out the important content that you read. With the general theme of the chapter in mind, go back and read the chapter through. Be sure to read text boxes and captions under pictures. After reading the chapter through, take any special notes – such as dates, names, or special events or ideas. Answer any questions provided by the instructor.
Reading Nonfiction for Directions
Reading directions is a crucial skill for students to acquire. Directions will likely accompany each quiz, test or homework assignment a student will have. Later in life, directions will often be included with items that come “with some assembly required.” Cooking recipes are another good example of a task that requires direction-reading skills.
The basic three-step process of working through a set of direction is:
- Read the direction through. Including special notes such as ingredients or tools needed.
- Assemble all needed items for the process.
- Read each step carefully, and complete each one before moving on to the next step.
Reading Manuals
Schools and businesses often issue manuals to students or their personnel. Reading a manual can help prevent misunderstandings and unnecessary questions. The most common issue that people have with reading a manual is that it is typically dry material. One tip that can help reduce the amount of content in a manual you might have to read is to use a highlighter. If the manual is yours to keep, skim it with a highlighter in hand, and highlight those sections you are likely to need.
Some items to which you might want to pay close attention include regulations regarding attendance, personal appearance, scheduling, and transportation. You will also want to make note of any items that involve a cost, such as textbooks or uniforms.
Make a list of any special items you will need – such as textbooks, school supplies for students or tools for workers. Pay close attention to regulations regarding interaction with other students or workers.
Reading Advertisements
You might not consider advertising to be nonfiction, but it is. And students are a target market for many types of ads, so understanding how to interpret advertisements is very important. Reading ads can be tricky because retailers are often experts at conveying ad copy in ways that “stretch” the truth a bit. A common strategy that ad copy uses is to list something as “90% better” or “100% more nutritious,” without providing an item that the product or service is being compared to. To be sure of getting a good deal, one needs to pay attention to information about the amount being sold, the size of the item and whether or not it will do the job specified.
If buying on credit is involved, be sure to read the fine print about the amount of interest that is going to be charged on the item. Advertisers will sometimes say things like, “No interest the first three months,” or “No interest until after the New Year.” They do this because most people don’t pay off the item and are ultimately charged interest.
Also watch for other charges, such as shipping and handling or fees for gift wrapping. If you are buying online, make sure that the company is reputable and that you are not authorizing an unscrupulous agency to access your financial information.
Reading Nonfiction for Research
Library research (commonly done by students of all ages) involves reading material to gain particular facts. The goal is for students to gather and use the information to write a paper or give a speech presentation. To ethically use information provided in printed resources, the reader must make a proper note of bibliographic information about the article, book, newspaper or internet resource.
It is best practice to note of all of the bibliographic information about a source before beginning to take notes from the source. This information includes the name of the item, publishing agency, the date publication. The following lists the bibliography information that should be included for different types of material:
- Books: If it is a book, the information needs to include the name of the book and the author.
- Magazines: If it is a magazine article, it should include the name of the magazine, and the name of the article as well as the author, publisher and date of publication.
- Internet articles and blogs: Internet articles should include the name of the website and the name of the web page within the website, and the URL.
If this sounds like a lot of writing before you even get started taking notes, simply remember you are going to need this information to give credit to your source. Fortunately, there are websites like EasyBib.com that make creating citations simple. Not giving proper credit is considered plagiarism, and it sadly gets students in a great deal of unnecessary trouble.
Write the bibliographic information at the top of a sheet of paper, then underneath it write down information from the material you are using for research. It is not necessary to read a long work completely through to use it for information. However, you need to be careful not to take information out of context – that is quote it in such a way that it says something different from what the author intended. Look for chapter headings, bold text, text boxes and summaries to help you digest a lot of information fast. When writing down dates, people’s names and similar information, make notes that tell what information goes with that item. This tip will help to avoid frustration later.
Students may also benefit from using a style manual. Style manuals such as one from MLA or APA tell how to write up bibliographic information in a resource list, how to use it inside your work to give credit. But again, the internet sources like EasyBib.com have largely alleviated this frustrating part of research writing.
Judging the Value of Nonfiction Work
Whether you are reading nonfiction for fun, homework or to prepare a library research paper, selecting quality information is important. Here are some tips to determine if the information is worthwhile:
- Check the copyright date: If the information is too old, it may not be appropriate for what you are writing. This depends on the context of what you are researching.
- Compare two or more sources: Don’t necessarily jump on the first source you find. Another similar source might be much better.
- Check the author’s credentials: Especially for research writing, the credentials of the author you are citing give credibility to the document you create. For example, a chef with experience in a restaurant and a degree in food preparation might carry more weight when talking about preparing a banquet for a crowd of 300 people than a mother of two. However, a grandmother who has been cooking for 30 or more years for a family might have better ideas about how to get through a busy evening when cooking for all of the relatives.
- Pay attention to bias: What is writer’s point of view? For example, a person who belongs to a gun club might be more likely to support laws that legalize gun ownership than a person who has a long-standing reputation for supporting gun control.
Information can sometimes come from surprising sources, however, so be prepared to see many sides of an issue.
Reading Nonfiction for Inspiration
Some nonfiction is designed to be read a little bit at a time. Self-help books, inspirational essays and even poetry can fall under this heading. Reading a little bit each day can lift your spirits, inspire, and give you the courage to keep going.
Wrapping it up
Reading nonfiction uses different reading skills than reading fiction does. Some nonfiction reading requires the development of a skill set to do properly. Don’t dismiss this. Acquiring this skill set will likely lead to better grades and many other rewards throughout life.
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