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Teaching Tip: Getting students to do the reading

October 25, 2007

Not as many students do their assigned readings as we would like. Try some of these techniques to get your students "in the books":

Explain to your students at the beginning of a course that you do not lecture on everything in the assigned readings. Tell them that the lectures will be much more interesting if they are not just lists of details the students can read for themselves.
Following through by testing students on required reading material.
Using the book frequently in class is also important. Have your students turn to the charts, graphs, and tables in the book when lecturing rather than using the transparencies or Power Point slides provided by the publisher. This will encourage them to have their texts on hand.
Point out the book's pedagogical features. Guide the class through reading a short section and then have them answer the questions at the end.

(Source: Denise R. Boyd, Psychological Science, "http://www.psychologicalscience.org"