3. Using Sources
3. Using sources
Discover more about your subject by engaging with ideas on paper or through actively listening, whether to your lecturers, podcasts or videos, or class discussions.
Why is it important?
A lot of the ideas you come across at university will be complex, with no clear right or wrong outcomes. They are subject to debate and discussion, and this takes place in reports, books, textbooks and journal articles. They might also be presented in lectures or via online videos. By learning to take in information actively, you will be able to access this expertise.
How do I do it?
Read or listen with questions in mind, which will help you engage with the ideas presented, and then you can think about your response to them. Some things you read will be harder than others, but good background reading will help provide some useful context. Be focused and selective in your choice of material. To find out what is relevant, read as widely as you are able in the early stages of your research.
Student tips (30 seconds)
Reading around the topic is just as important as searching for specific information to answer your questions.
Key terms for using sources
Click on the words below to see a description of what they mean and how to use them in the context of your university studies.
Browse the Library Catalogue for resources to help you improve your reading skills.Log into Linkedin Learning to view this tutorial from Improving your memory: note taking techniques.
Explore a Tutorial on Wikipedia by the Open University, or try a Criteria For Evaluating Information from the University of Newcastle, Australia.
Using sources quiz
Evaluate your effectiveness at using sources by taking our quiz. If you have already enrolled on succeed, jump to step 2.Step 1 Enrol on succeed@solent. (This link opens in a new tab, close the tab once you have enrolled.)
Step 2 Take the quiz.