Let’s talk about types of assignments. Your professor has asked you to read a book and write a paper about it. Where to start?

Make sure you own the book. Buy it. – there are numerous formats to read a book. Paper back or hard back copies are the traditional format we are used to. You can easily locate these online and have them shipped overnight if there is a rush. I always like to check Half Priced Books. They are usually well stocked.

Another way is to read it online using a reader like Nook or Kindle or iPad. The advantage of a digital copy is that it’s easier to keep up with all the books you own. Digital books offer reading options like the size of the font, the size of the margins. You can highlight a word and get a definition immediately. Pretty cool. When I read using my Kindle I can highlight a phrase and then write a note about what I am reading. Then I can look at all my notes and highlighted phrases all on one page.

A digital copy will also allow audio reading of the text. The audio will sound awkward but it is an option if you need to hear the book. Another way to hear a book is to buy an audio recording. On Amazon, many titles will offer you the option of a CD version or an Audible book. An Audible book is a book read aloud and you can download it directly to your Kindle or laptop or other device. I use a Kindle to purchase books on Amazon. My friend uses her Nook to purchase books from Barnes and Noble. I am not familiar with Nook so I don’t know about hearing a book on your Nook.

There are numerous places to find audio versions of books. Here’s a place to start. (INSERT LINK FOR BOOK SHARE OR RFBD)

Now you own the book. Make a plan. Mark the due date on your calendar. Look at the number of pages that need to be read. Divide the number of pages by the number of days you have. Remember to leave 2 or 3 days for writing.

Decide when and where you do your best reading. Mornings? Afternoons? With some background noise? With some people? All alone? With a cup of coffee? Tell yourself “I will read from this page to this page.” or “I will read until 2:30.” Give yourself a start and a finish. Be realistic.

This is when you must do a reality check. “Will I finish on time?” At this point you might see that you must increase the amount of reading time to finish by the due date.

Re-check the assignment. Go back to the syllabus and check for the requirements of this assignment. How many pages? Are citations required? APA or MLA? What is the professor looking for? You can get the requirements on the syllabus, the course website, or a separate assignment sheet your professor handed out.

How does the professor want this paper turned in? Paper copy? On line? Is there a specific time deadline? Midnight or at the beginning of class?

Your professor chooses the books for you to read this semester for a purpose. Look at the syllabus. Re read the course objectives. Ask yourself. What is the relevance of this book? Why did my professor ask me to read it? What is the purpose of reading this book? How will the information in this book help me understand the main objectives of this course.

Read. Be on the look-out for an upcoming blog for some reading comprehension tips.

Take notes as you read. Jot a few sentences down at the end of every section or chapter just to help you remember. Highlight a great quote. Write down in the margin, a great idea that caught your attention. Write an amazing fact from the reading onto the margin. Write any question that pops into your head.

Enrich your perspective. Look for author interviews on You Tube. Look for book reviews online. These will give you nice summaries of the book. Maybe the author has a website. Maybe the author has a website for the book title. Look up the book title on Amazon. You will find a short summary.

Write. Check another blog for some writing tips.

Plagiarism. With the internet, plagiarism is easier to fall into. Remember that with sites like Turnitin.com professors are on the lookout for plagiarism. Let’s face it, copy and paste is easy peasy. And students get real good at it. So why plagiarize? Why not?

Here’s why. You are being asked to demonstrate what you have learned. That’s it. Just show what you learned. Maybe you learned a lot or a little. Just write in your own words what you learned.

Your university or college will have a center for writing. This is a place you can go and get one on one help with writing. Use it.