Why Do You Need This New Edition?
If you’re wondering why you should buy this new edition
of Academic Reading, here are seven good reasons!
1. You will get a practical and valuable
overview of each academic discipline
covered in Chapters 10 through 15. Each
chapter now opens with a brief section that
defines the discipline and describes fields
that comprise it. Each chapter also includes
an annotated excerpt chosen from a popular
textbook in the discipline. The excerpt provides
an overview of the field; the ­annotations call
your attention to features of the discipline. An
exercise gives you practice in picking out what
is important to learn and remember in the
discipline.
2. The Academic Success section will help
you start college successfully. A more
interactive college success section offers skills
and strategies for college success. This section
has been revised to be more interactive and
engaging, and includes a new strategy on
managing the many electronic applications
and devices available to most students—cell
phones, e-mail, text messaging, etc.
3. It is easy to test yourself and keep track
of what you are learning. New learning
goals have been added that correspond to
chapter headings and the Self-Test Summary.
The goals tell you what you need to learn, the
section corresponding to the goal teaches the
skills, and the Self-Test Summary gives you an
easy way to find out if you have learned what
is expected.
4. You will be reading current, up-to-date
passages and excerpts in each chap-
ter. Chosen from a wide range of college
textbooks representative of over 30 academic
courses, over 100 passages have been re-
placed with current, high-interest topics.
5. Eight new or updated full-length reading
selections cover contemporary topics.
Topics include stereotypes and prejudice, the
rise of African Americans, suicide bombers,
and problem solving methods. These topics
are representative of the types of readings
you will encounter in your college classes, and
the questions that follow will show you how
to figure out what is important to learn and
remember from college reading assignments.
6. The book has been upgraded to a
dynamic four-color design. It includes
many graphics, diagrams, and photographs
to help you maintain your interest and learn
more efficiently.
7. A new text-specific MyReadingLab
module allows you to complete book
exercises online and send them directly
to your instructor.
This page intentionally left blank
 Academic
Reading
College Major and
Career Applications

Eighth Edition

Kathleen T. McWhorter
Niagara County Community College

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Student Edition ISBN-13: 978-0-321-86582-3

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A la Carte Edition ISBN-13: 978-0-321-85123-9

A la Carte Edition ISBN-10:     0-321-85123-4
 Brief Contents
Detailed Contents    vi
Preface    xii

The Top Ten College Majors   xviii

Academic Success in College   1

part one Fundamental Reading Strategies   27

CHAPTER 1    Strategies for Active Reading  27
CHAPTER 2    Fundamental Comprehension Skills  61
CHAPTER 3    Essential Vocabulary Skills  83

part two Critical Reading Strategies   113

CHAPTER 4    Evaluating the Author’s Message  113
CHAPTER 5    Evaluating the Author’s Techniques  141
CHAPTER 6    Reading and Evaluating Arguments  166

part three Academic Reading Strategies   191

CHAPTER 7    Patterns of Academic Thought  191
CHAPTER 8    Reading and Evaluating Graphics and Online
Sources  238
CHAPTER 9    Using Writing to Learn  265

part four Strategies for Specific Disciplines   286

CHAPTER 10  Reading in the Social Sciences  286
CHAPTER 11  Reading in Business  308
CHAPTER 12  
Reading in the Liberal Arts, Humanities, and Education  334
CHAPTER 13  Reading in Mathematics  362
CHAPTER 14  Reading in the Life and Physical Sciences  388
CHAPTER 15  Reading in Technical and Applied Fields  412

E-Book Chapter: Reading Research, Reference,

and Collateral Assignments  

Credits  439
Index  444

v
 Detailed Contents
Preface  xii

The Top Ten College Majors  xviii

Academic Success in College  1
STRATEGY 1 Get Organized  2
STRATEGY 2 Manage Your Study Time  3
STRATEGY 3 Balance School and Work  6
STRATEGY 4 Take Lecture Notes  8
STRATEGY 5 Take Charge of Your Learning  10
STRATEGY 6 Manage Stress  13
STRATEGY 7 Manage Your Electronic Life  15
STRATEGY 8 Get the Most Out of Your Textbooks  17
STRATEGY 9 Adapt Your Skills to Academic Disciplines  21
STRATEGY 10 Use This Book  23

part one Fundamental Reading Strategies   27

CHAPTER 1 Strategies for Active Reading  27
Reading and Academic Success  28
Assessing Your Learning Style  29
Building Your Concentration  35
Developing Levels of Thinking  37
Previewing and Predicting  41
Developing Guide Questions  47
Checking Your Comprehension  49
Using the SQ3R Reading/Study System  51
Self-Test Summary  56
Psychology READING
Stereotypes and Prejudices: Seen One, Seen ’Em All  57

CHAPTER 2 Fundamental Comprehension Skills  61
Finding the Main Idea  62
Identifying Topic Sentences  63
Finding an Implied Main Idea  67
Recognizing Primary and Secondary Details  69
Adjusting Your Rate to Meet Comprehension Demands  71
Self-Test Summary  76
SOCIOLOGY READING
Diversity in U.S. Families  77

CHAPTER 3 Essential Vocabulary Skills  83
Techniques for Vocabulary Development  84
Using a System for Learning New Vocabulary  86
Using Context Clues  88

vi
 DETAILED CONTENTS vii

Learning Word Parts: The Multiplier Effect  93

Using Word Mapping to Expand Your Vocabulary  100
Learning Specialized and Scientific Vocabulary  102
Self-Test Summary  106
Interpersonal Communication Reading
Principles of Verbal Messages  107

part two Critical Reading Strategies  113

CHAPTER 4 Evaluating the Author’s Message  113
Make Inferences as You Read  114
Assessing the Author’s Qualifications  120
Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion  121
Identifying the Author’s Purpose  124
Evaluating the Data and Evidence  126
Analyzing the Writer’s Tone  127
Annotating as You Read  131
Synthesizing Your Ideas  133
Self-Test Summary  136
EDUCATION READING
His Name Is Michael  137

CHAPTER 5 Evaluating the Author’s Techniques  141
Does the Writer Use Connotative Language?  142
Does the Writer Use Figurative Language?  144
Is the Author Fair or Biased?  146
What Isn’t the Author Telling Me?  149
Does the Author Make and Support Generalizations?  150
What Assumptions Is the Author Making?  152
Does the Author Use Manipulative Language?  154
Self-Test Summary  162
Public Relations READING
Women Mobilize Against Scruffy-Faced Men  163

CHAPTER 6 Reading and Evaluating Arguments  166
What Is an Argument?  167
Parts of an Argument  168
Inductive and Deductive Arguments  171
Strategies for Reading an Argument  173
Strategies for Evaluating Arguments  176
Errors in Logical Reasoning  180
Self-Test Summary  184
PAIRED TECHNOLOGY READING
Should Online Sites Ban Postings by Groups the Government
Identifies as Terrorists? (Pro)  185
Should Online Sites Ban Postings by Groups the Government
Identifies as Terrorists? (Con)  186
viii DETAILED CONTENTS

part three Academic Reading Strategies  191

CHAPTER 7 Patterns of Academic Thought  191
Patterns: A Focus for Reading  192
The Definition Pattern  194
The Classification Pattern  197
The Order of Sequence Pattern  200
The Cause and Effect Pattern  208
The Comparison and Contrast Pattern  213
The Listing/Enumeration Pattern  217
Mixed Patterns  221
Other Useful Patterns of Organization  224
Self-Test Summary  232
HISTORY READING
The Rise of African Americans  233

CHAPTER 8 Reading and Evaluating Graphics and Online
Sources  238
How to Read Graphics  239
Types of Graphics  241
Understanding Visuals  249
Evaluating Internet Sources  251
Avoiding Plagiarism  255
Self-Test Summary  258
BIOLOGY READING
Biodiversity Loss and Species Extinction  259

CHAPTER 9 Using Writing to Learn  265
Writing to Assess and Strengthen Comprehension  266
Highlighting and Annotating Textbooks  267
Note Taking to Organize Ideas  272
Mapping to Show Relationships  273
Summarizing to Condense Ideas  278
Self-Test Summary  281
CRIMINAL JUSTICE READING
New Ways of Administering Justice and Punishment  282

part four Strategies for Specific Disciplines  286

CHAPTER 10 Reading in the Social Sciences  286
What Are the Social Sciences?  287
Should You Major in a Social Science?  289
Tips for Studying Social Science—Even if You Are Not a Major  290
Social Science Textbooks: The Basics  290
Specialized Reading Techniques  291
 DETAILED CONTENTS ix

Thought Patterns in the Social Sciences  300

Adapting Your Study Techniques  302
Test-Taking Tips: Preparing for Exams in the
Social Sciences  302
Self-Test Summary  303
Psychology Reading
Persuasion or “Brainwashing”? The Case of
Suicide Bombers  304

CHAPTER 11 Reading in Business  308
What Are the Business Disciplines?  309
Should You Major in Business?  311
Tips for Studying Business—Even if You Are Not a Major  312
Current Hot Topics in Business  313
Specialized Reading Techniques  314
Thought Patterns in Business  324
Adapting Your Study Techniques  325
Test-Taking Tips: Objective Exams  326
Self-Test Summary  327
MARKETING READING
New Advertising Techniques  328

CHAPTER 12 Reading in the Liberal Arts, Humanities,
and Education  334
What Are the Liberal Arts and Humanities?  335
Should You Major in the Liberal Arts?  337
Tips for Studying the Liberal Arts—Even if You Are
Not a Major  338
Advice for Education Majors  338
Reading and Analyzing Literature  339
The Visual Arts: Expression Without Words  352
Reading Criticism  356
Thought Patterns in the Liberal Arts and Humanities  357
Learning Strategies for Liberal Arts and Humanities Courses  357
Test-Taking Tips: Preparing for Exams in the Liberal Arts and
Humanities  358
Self-Test Summary  359
LITERATURE READING
Leaves  360

CHAPTER 13 Reading in Mathematics  362
What Is Mathematics?  363
Should You Major in Mathematics?  365
Tips for Studying Mathematics—Even if You Are
Not a Major  366
x DETAILED CONTENTS

Reading Mathematics Textbooks  366

Thought Patterns in Mathematics  379
Studying Mathematics  379
Test-Taking Tips: Preparing for Exams in Mathematics  381
Self-Test Summary  382
Mathematics Reading
Problem Solving  383

CHAPTER 14 Reading in the Life and Physical Sciences  388
What Are the Life and Physical Sciences?  389
Should You Major in the Life and Physical Sciences?  391
Tips for Studying the Life and Physical Sciences—Even if You Are
Not a Major  392
Specialized Reading Techniques  393
Thought Patterns in the Life and Physical Sciences  398
Adapting Your Study Techniques  404
If You Are Having Difficulty  405
Test-Taking Tips: Preparing for Exams in the Life and Physical
Sciences  406
Self-Test Summary  407
BIOLOGY READING
The Promise of Stem Cell Research  408

CHAPTER 15 Reading in Technical and Applied Fields  412
What Are the Technical and Applied Fields?  413
Should You Major in a Technical/Applied Field?  414
Should You Major in an Allied Health Field?  415
Tips for Being a Successful Allied Health Major  415
Reading Technical Material  416
The Allied Health Fields 424
Thought Patterns in Technical Fields  427
Study Techniques for Technical Courses  432
Test-Taking Tips: Preparing for Exams in Technical Courses  433
Self-Test Summary  434
NURSING READING
Telehealth: Promise or Peril?  435

E-BOOK CHAPTER Reading Research, Reference, and Collateral

Assignments
Reading Research Materials
Alternative Reading Strategies
Documentation and Note Taking
Reading Collateral Assignments
 DETAILED CONTENTS xi

Evaluating Sources
Synthesizing and Comparing Sources
Self-Test Summary
Reading
Plagiarism

Additional Practice
Credits 439
Index 444
 Preface
■ Approach
Each academic discipline has its own subject matter, approach, and methodol-
ogy. Consequently, reading assignments in each discipline require a unique set
of reading skills and strategies. Many students have not learned to adapt their
reading skills to the demands of different academic disciplines. Academic Read-
ing: College Major and Career Applications, Eighth Edition, focuses on devel-
oping essential reading skills and showing students how to adapt them to spe-
cific academic disciplines. It also shows students how to adapt reading skills to
specific college majors and specific career paths.

■ Changes in the Eighth Edition

The eighth edition of Academic Reading offers a new, dynamic four-color design
that enhances the many graphics, photographs, and learning aids in the book.
In addition, there is: (1) a more engaging and interactive introduction to each
discipline covered in Part 4; (2) an updated and more interactive college success
section; (3) new learning goals that correspond to chapter headings; (4) exten-
sive updating of in-chapter passages and excerpts; and (5) eight new full-length
reading selections. Specific additions and changes to the text include the
­following:
• New introduction to each academic discipline.  Because students are
often unfamiliar with what the six major disciplines covered in Part 4 en-
compass, a new introduction titled “What Is/Are (Name of Discipline)?”
now opens each chapter. The introduction defines the discipline by delin-
eating the specific fields included within it and shows an annotated passage
from an introductory textbook from the discipline that defines the disci-
pline and describes its focus. An exercise is also included to immediately
engage students and provide them with an opportunity to read and write
about the discipline.
• New revised and expanded Academic Success in College section.    This
newly expanded section now includes sections on how to apply the ten strat-
egies presented. Also a new strategy—“Manage Your Electronic Life”—offers
students advice on how to use cell phones, e-mail, text messages, apps, and
other technology such as Skype to their advantage. This section also discusses
the positive features of technology and encourages students to manage tech-
nology rather than allow technology to manage them.
• New learning goals that correspond to chapter headings.  These new
learning goals directly correspond to chapter headings and appear again in
the Self-Test Summary. The goals help students identify what to focus on
in each section; the Self-Test Summary provides students with a conve-
nient and efficient way to assess their learning while reviewing chapter
content.

xii
 Preface xiii

• Extensive updating of in-chapter passages and excerpts.    Over 100

textbook passages and excerpts have been replaced with engaging and
contemporary materials from a wide range of academic disciplines.
• New full-length reading selections.  Eight new reading selections have
been added to the text, representing one or more of the top ten college
majors. Topics include stereotypes and prejudices (sociology), problem solv-
ing (mathematics), advertising techniques (business), and the rise of African
Americans (history).
• New four-color design.  The book’s pedagogy is presented in an engaging
and dramatic format, using color and graphics to demonstrate to students
what is important to learn.

■ A Unique Focus on Academic Disciplines

Many students are unfamiliar with the content and topics addressed in vari-
ous academic disciplines or the career paths to which the disciplines lead.
They drift from one academic course to the next without a clear career fo-
cus. This text offers a unique, contextualized approach that focuses on aca-
demic reading skills, but also motivates students toward a particular area of
interest or field of study. Students learn important comprehension, vocabu-
lary, and critical thinking skills, as well as how to adapt these skills to study
specific academic disciplines. While doing so, they also learn what each dis-
cipline involves and what career opportunities are available. This book,
then, teaches essential reading skills while opening up new worlds and new
possibilities to students.
Academic Reading, Eighth Edition, uses several current, effective methodolo-
gies to develop reading skills:
• Active Reading.  For many students, reading is a passive assimilation pro-
cess: their goal is to acquire as many facts and as much information as
possible. The active reading approach used in Academic Reading encourages
students to interact with the text by predicting, questioning, and evaluat-
ing ideas.
• Levels of Thinking.  Using Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive skills (updated
by Anderson) as a framework, this book shows students how to apply higher-
order thinking skills to their course work.
• Metacognition.    Metacognition is the reader’s awareness of his or her own
comprehension processes. Mature and proficient readers exert a great deal of
cognitive control over their reading: they analyze reading tasks, select appropri-
ate reading strategies, and monitor the effectiveness of those strategies. This text
guides students in developing these metacognitive strategies.
• Academic Thought Patterns.  The text describes six common academic
thought patterns that are used in various disciplines to organize and struc-
ture ideas. Four additional patterns are also discussed. These patterns,
xiv Preface

­ resented as organizing schemata, are used to establish order, consistency,

p
and predictability within academic disciplines.
• Writing as Learning.  Although most students regard writing as a means of
communication, few are accustomed to using it as a reading aid to help
them organize information, focus ideas, recognize relationships, or generate
new ideas. This text introduces writing as a vehicle for learning. Techniques
such as highlighting, outlining, note taking, and cognitive mapping are
approached as learning strategies.
• Writing in Response to Reading.  Since many college classes require students
to respond in writing to what they read, this text offers ample opportunity to
practice this important skill. All of the questions that follow the end-of-­
chapter readings are open-ended and require written response.
• Learning Style.  Not all students learn in the same way. To help students
discover their unique learning preferences, the text includes a Learning
Style Questionnaire (Chapter 1) and offers students suggestions for adapt-
ing their study methods to suit their learning style characteristics.

■ Discipline-Specific Reading Skills

With the fundamental skills in place, college students are able to develop a di-
verse repertoire of reading strategies and to select and alternate among them.
Professors from each of the academic disciplines worked as consultants during
the writing of the book. A new set of specialists was used to develop a revision
plan for the preceding edition. These consultant teams offered suggestions for
both skill coverage and methodology. Some of the discipline-specific reading
skills included are the following:

In the Social Sciences

• understanding theories in the social sciences
• reading research reports
• making comparisons and applications

In Business
• reading models
• reviewing case studies
• studying organization charts and flowcharts
• approaching supplemental readings

In the Liberal Arts, Humanities, and Education

• understanding figurative language
• reading poetry and short stories
 Preface xv

• working with literary criticism

• studying visual elements in art

In Mathematics
• understanding mathematical language
• reading sample problems
• verbalizing processes
• reading graphics
• approaching word problems

In the Life and Physical Sciences

• previewing before reading
• understanding scientific approaches
• studying sample problems
• learning terminology and notation

In Technical and Applied Fields

• reading illustrations and drawings
• using visualization
• reading technical manuals
• employing problem-solving strategies
• benefiting from practicum experiences

■ Special Features
The following features enhance student learning and skill application:
• Academic Success in College Introduction. This section offers ten
strategies that will get first-year students off to the right start in college
by providing them with essential learning and study skills. Strategies
include getting organized, managing time, balancing school and work,
taking lecture notes, taking charge of learning, managing stress, man-
aging technology, learning from textbooks, adapting your skills to aca-
demic disciplines, and how to use this textbook. This introduction also
features quotations from students suggesting specific ways these skills
can be applied. Each strategy includes an Applying Your Skills section
that offers exercises and activities for working with the skills students
have learned.
• “Thinking Visually” Chapter Openers.  Each chapter begins with one or
more visuals that link the chapter content to students’ interests and their
world of experience. The openers in Chapters 1–9 also provide an aca-
demic link and a career link that demonstrate the utility of the skills taught
xvi Preface

in the chapter to other college courses and to workplace demands. The

openers in Part 4, Chapters 10–15, offer three visuals that illustrate a topic
of study, an academic application, and a career application of the aca-
demic discipline to be discussed.
• Learning Objectives. Each chapter includes a brief list of learning objec-
tives that establishes the chapter’s focus and provides students with pur-
poses for reading. The objectives can be used as a way to review and check
retention after reading the chapter.
• Key Strategy Boxes.  Throughout the text, essential techniques and strate-
gies are boxed to emphasize their importance and make them easy to find
for future reference. Examples of these boxes include “How to Preview
Textbook Assignments,” “How to Make Inferences,” and “How to Read an
Argument.”
• Discipline Overviews (Part 4). The text provides an introduction to six
major academic disciplines. Each chapter in this section defines the disci-
pline and explains the fields it encompasses. Each chapter also discusses
what majoring in the discipline involves and offers tips to help students
determine whether a major in that discipline is right for them. Tips for
nonmajors taking a course in the discipline are also provided.
• Tips for Majors.  The top ten college majors are featured in the Academic
Success in College introduction. Throughout Chapters 1–9, marginal tips
are provided that offer advice to students in specific majors. These tips
demonstrate the importance of certain skills and show students how to
apply them in specific fields of study. For example, in Chapter 2, math/
physical science majors are advised that main ideas are often spelled out in
the form of theorems, principles, or laws. In the same chapter, life science/
allied health students are urged to pay attention to details, as exact and
detailed procedures are important in lab work and clinical experience.
• Self-Test Chapter Summaries.  Each chapter includes a question-and-answer
summary intended to help students review and consolidate chapter content
through self-testing.
• Reading Selections. Each chapter concludes with one or more reading
selections from a college textbook or related academic source to reinforce the
skills and strategies presented in the chapter. Each reading is accompanied
by a vocabulary review exercise, comprehension questions, critical thinking
questions, and an exercise on applying learning/study strategies.
• Academic Applications. Exercises labeled “Academic Application” require
students to apply their reading skills to textbook or course materials from their
other college courses.
• Exercises for Collaborative Learning. Additional exercises designated
“Collaborative Learning” provide structured activities in which students
can learn from one another as they analyze and apply skills introduced in
the chapter.
 Preface xvii

■ Book-Specific Ancillary Materials

The Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank
The Instructor’s Manual section provides numerous suggestions for using the
text, including how to structure the course and how to approach each section
of the book. It also contains a complete answer key for the text and a set of
overhead projection transparency masters. The Test Bank section includes
chapter review quizzes for each chapter. (ISBN 0-321-86583-9)

■ Acknowledgments
I wish to acknowledge the contributions of my colleagues and reviewers who
have provided valuable advice and suggestions for this and previous editions
of Academic Reading. These include academic discipline reviewers from each of
the disciplines covered in Part 4, as well as reading specialists. Reviewers who
contributed to the current edition include: Anna Masters, Brookhaven College;
Jeffrey Siddall, College of DuPage; Maria Spelleri, State College of Florida; and
Andrea Williams, Purdue University.
I am particularly indebted to Janice Wiggins-Clarke, my Development Editor,
for her most valuable advice and guidance. She has contributed knowledge,
creativity, and energy, as well as practicality. I also wish to thank Nancy Blaine,
Senior Acquisitions Editor, for her support of the revision plan and for overseeing
its implementation.
Kathleen T. McWhorter