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Reading Support

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Quick Reading Support Video 

Fall '21 Appointment Times

(Week: 10/18-10/22)

Monday 2:00 & 3:00
Tuesday

10:00 & 11:00
Wednesday 2:00 & 3:00
Thursday 2:00 & 3:00
Friday 10:00 & 11:00

* See Google form to the right for requesting other days and times or email Joseph.Spencer@ucr.edu. 

Reading Support Contact Information

Joseph "Jay" Spencer (Coordinator/Lead)

Joseph.Spencer@ucr.edu

Office No. (951) 827-4385

Remote No. (951) 335-0923 (Mon., Tues, Fri.)

 or let us say; "reading," is more than recognizing and saying the words on a page or screen.  What we do when we read is complex; we apply knowledge of sounds, letters, grammar, content, written communication, and much more.  College readers also consider who texts are written for, when the texts were written, and the purpose of specific texts.  To explore these considerations we offer one to one consultations, focused reading workshops, and vetted resources and strategies on our webpage.

  • 1 to 1 Reading Consultations:
    • Can target specific reading practices
    • "Close" read and discuss assigned readings
    • Address any of the workshop topics
    • Make connections between texts and writing assignments
  • Reading Workshops:
    • Address specific kinds of texts (ex. research articles and review articles)
    • Close reading practices
    • Reading and understanding grammar

Reading Support services can assist students from most subject areas--we encourage reading support in foreign language courses be directed to language tutors and/or instructors.  The goal for reading support is to highlight college reading practices essential to reading for understanding.  We aim to assist students as they develop their college reading skills and apply their comprehension and insights to their "writing and communication." If you would like to make an appointment with our professional staff member, please see our appointment system, Accudemia, or use the form  below under "Reading: Resources & Strategies." 

Our Reading services can also provide support for faculty and courses in the form of focused workshops and/or presentations for students and are meant to be a complement to the course instruction.  Faculty may also refer individual students to our services.  We encourage faculty to email Jay Spencer at Joseph.Spencer@ucr.edu to begin discussion and planning. 

Reading: Resources & Strategies

These resources and strategies in the following sections are selected to help clarify and develop college reading practices. Feel free to email Jay Spencer at Joseph.Spencer@ucr.edu for additional help with reading practices and enhancing comprehension of selected readings.

Reading Workshops

The following Workshops are scheduled for Fall 2021. They will be held via Zoom. Please register through Accudemia to receive the Zoom meeting link. 

Reading for Understanding

 

"Reading Like a College Student"

This 30 minute workshop will present different types of readings/texts and the roles they may play in your courses. During this workshop we will look at college reading practices that will enhance reading efficiency and for understanding. 

Dates Offered:

October 6th, 2021 (Wednesday) @ 11:00 a.m.

 

 Intro to Close Reading 

This 30 minute workshop is designed to assess the reading strategies that students are using in their courses and to identify specific expectations that instructors/professors have regarding "close reading" strategies. 

Dates Offered:

October 12th, 2021 (Tuesday) @ 3:00 p.m.

 

 "Understanding STEM Articles" 

This 30 minute workshop will address the common organization of "original research articles" and "review articles."  We will be looking at pre selected STEM and behavioral science articles. Feel free to bring your own article as we will be looking at the purpose of specific sections. We will also be looking at the difference between an "original research article" and a "review article."

Dates Offered:

October 13th, 2021 (Wednesday) @ 11:00 a.m.

 

 

Sample Articles below:

Two sample research articles (Samples will be analyzed during the workshop.)

  1. Computer Science Research Article: 
  2. Psychopathology Research Article

Two sample literature review articles (Samples will be analyzed during the workshop.)

  1. Periodic Limb Movement During Sleep REVIEW ARTICLE 
  2. Computational Biology REVIEW ARTICLE

 

 "Reading Assignment Prompts" 

This 30 minute workshop will focus on reading and annotating assignment prompts. Similar to reading writing prompts, we will address language that (1) contextualizes/situates the assignment, (2) directive verbs, and (3) how to clarify expectations for the assignment based on the prompt. Attendees should feel free to come with question, as there will be time at the end of the workshop to discuss specific concerns. 

Dates Offered:

October 14th, 2021 (Thursday) @ 3:00 p.m.

November 18th, 2021 (Thursday) @ 11:00 a.m.

 

 "Reading Writing Prompts" 

This 30 minute workshop will focus on reading and annotating writing assignment and final assignment prompts. We will address language that (1) contextualizes/situates the assignment, (2) directive verbs, and (3) how to clarify expectations for the assignment based on the prompt and writing situation. We will also look at identifying textual evidence to support ideas you want to communicate. You should feel free to come with question, as there will be time at the end of the workshop to discuss specific concerns. 

Dates Offered:

    October 20th, 2021 (Wednesday) @ 11:00 a.m.

     

     "Identifying Main Ideas" 

    This 30 minute workshop will focus on reading for the "main idea" in a paragraph. We will also look at how the main idea can be presented in a topic sentence or be an implied idea in the paragraph.  

    Dates Offered: 

    November 3rd, 2021 (Wednesday) @ 11:00 a.m.

     

     

    Engineering Focused Reading Workshops

     

    1. “How Engineers use Language: A look at forms of communication”

    In this 30 minute workshop, attendees will explore the purpose of specific types of writing and how the writer/engineer frames their audience. As we read, we usually become aware of when a text feels familiar or unfamiliar. This workshop will look at  identifying the purpose, audience, and formality of types of writing in the field of engineering.

    Dates Offered:

    October 5th, 2021 (Tuesday) @3:00 p.m.

    1. "Advanced Reading Practices for Engineering Articles: Original Research"

    This 30 minute workshop will address the common organization of "original research articles." We will be looking at pre-selected Engineering articles. Students should feel free to bring articles they are reading as we will be looking at the purpose of specific sections. We will also be looking at the different purpose between an "original research article" and a "review article."

    Dates Offered:

    October 13th, 2021 (Wednesday) @ 3:00 p.m.

    1. "What do Engineers say about Previous research? Making Connections to Review Sections in articles"

    During this 30 minute workshop, attendees will look at how the author connects previous research/studies in an effort to focus and contextualize the research they deem important. Attention will be placed on the specific topics, methods, and variables authors highlight as they focus the topic and purpose of their article. This session will focus on review sections from various engineering articles. 

    Dates Offered:

    October 19th, 2021 (Tuesday) @3:00 p.m.

    1. “Analyzing Assumptions in Engineering Research Articles”

    In this 30 minute workshop, attendees will learn to recognize the author’s/researcher’s assumptions about research topics. This includes recognizing what is assumed to be common knowledge for the audience and what is considered novel, or new.

    Dates Offered:

    November 16th, 2021 (Tuesday) @3:00 p.m.

    1. "When STEM Concepts Become Popularized"

    This 30 minute workshop will look at the role of the author in reporting research that was originally communicated to a specialized field/audience and how the author establishes credibility for the ideas presented. We will also look at how the author manages the complexity of original research articles for a less specialized audience. Articles will be used from Scientific American and Science Daily.

    Dates Offered:

    November 17th, 2021 (Wednesday) @ 3:00 p.m.

    All workshops will be held via Zoom. To receive the Zoom link, please complete the following steps:

    1. Click on the blue Accudemia logo above or on the ARC's main webpage: https://arc.ucr.edu/
    2. Log on to Accudemia. Use your SID as both the User ID and the password.
    3. Click on "New Appointment"
    4. For Service, choose "Reading Support"
    5. For Activity, search for "Reading Workshop" and choose the date you want to attend.
    6. NOTE: You will have to use the "Prev" and "Next" buttons or the calendar icon to select the date. 

    You will automatically receive a link to the workshop in your UCR email.

    Click the titles to the left to see lists of reading topics and dates. 

    Reading for Understanding: 

     

    Adjusting Reading Practices

    This 30 minute session will look closer at common reading strategies and student responses to reading assigned texts. We will look at using strategies for specific reading situations that increase reading engagement. A self assessment of reading practices will also be available. Feel free to take this assessment prior to the workshop: https://forms.gle/MfCM7p6BU7Q4mzEE6

    Understanding Point of View Popularized Science Articles

    This 30 minute workshop will look at the role of the author in reporting research that was originally communicated to a specialized field/audience and how the author establishes credibility for the ideas presented. We will also look at how the author manages the complexity of original research articles for a less specialized audience. Articles will be used from Scientific American and Science Daily.

    Navigating STEM Review Articles

    This 30 minute workshop will address the organization of STEM and behavioral science review articles. We will observe topic flow and the purpose of specific sections. Feel free to bring your own article as we will be looking at the purpose of specific sections in breakout rooms.

    Navigating STEM Research Articles

    This 30 minute workshop will address the common organization of "original research articles." We will be looking at various STEM and behavioral science articles. Feel free to bring your own article as we will be looking at the purpose of specific sections in breakout rooms.

    Metacognitive Reading

    Inquiry Focused Reading 

    This 30 minute workshop will address ways to identify questions that guide students' reading and/or text selection. We will also look at questioning ideas from texts and making connections to other sources. Attendees should feel free to bring texts that they are working in their classes. There will be time to use reading strategies with these or sample texts. 

     

    Reading Grammatically

     

    Identifying  Points of View in Assigned Readings:  Understanding First Person, Second Person, and Third Person Perspectives

    Available by request.

    NOTE We will look at how these pronouns affect points of view. 

    First person pronouns:  I, me, mine, my, we, our, ours
    Second person pronouns: you, your, yours
    Third person pronouns:  he, she, they, her, him, them, hers, his, their, theirs

         

     

     

     

     

     

    Reading Grammar: Prepositions

    This 30 minute workshops will address functions of prepositions (on, in, at, to) and the relationship these words create between nouns. (EXAMPLE:  The instructor sat on the desk. vs. The instructor sat in the desk.)