Reading for English Majors

Five essential principles for studying literary texts

Anthony van Leest, “Saint Matthew seated and reading from a book held by a putto, set within a fanciful architectural backdrop, from a series of woodcuts of the Four Evangelists, copy after Rue Montorgueil woodcut.” Public domain courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

“Don’t English majors already know how to read? Isn’t that, like, their thing?” Well, yes and no. They probably became interested in majoring in English because they love to read, but reading something for pleasure is different than reading something as an object of study. In general, English majors need to think about transitioning from reading to entertain themselves to reading to develop mastery.

The Basics

Reading takes time, so you’ll need to set a schedule and follow it. Don’t try to read for too long in one sitting. Read in a quiet place where you can concentrate. If you find yourself drifting off or skipping lines, take a break, go back, and reread. Listening while you read may help. Team up with a reliable classmate and read to each other, or find a recording. YouTube has audio and video of some texts, and librivox.org offers free audio recordings of thousands of texts.

Active Reading

Active Reading is the term we apply to a set of strategies and techniques designed to help you get the most out of what you read. Most of us stumble into active reading eventually, but learning how to use it early in your education will give you an advantage, and the more you use it, the better you get…