On most courses you will be given a book list. You will not usually be expected to buy or even read every book and journal article on the list. Items on a book list may contain:
- essential, basic reading or reference material for the course
- an overview of the subject
- background information
- useful information for a specific topic or piece of work
Check with your tutor and other students in later years of the course which books are essential for you to buy. Most books will be available in your institution’s library but essential titles ("core" texts) may be difficult to borrow because everyone on the course needs them. You may be able to reduce the cost of buying books by:
- buying second hand editions (from students in later stages of the course, or from a second hand bookshop) – but make sure you buy an up-to-date version
- forming a group with other students on the course, each buying some of the books and sharing them
When you start to read a book or article, it can be useful to scan through the contents page, chapter headings and introductory sentences. This will help you understand the structure and ideas that will be discussed. You can then read in detail. It is usually best to take notes as you read, starting with the title, author and any other reference information (for example, date, publisher). Try to avoid copying out large sections from the text. Make a note of the main points and summarise arguments in your own words if possible. If you copy out a section of the text, put it in "quotation marks" so that you know to reference it if you use it in your work. The contents page and index are useful for locating specific information.
