How to Read Scholarly Writings and Understand Them
The main features of academic register are not unknown to third-year students as in the previous year of study you learned how to write an academic essay. This year you will be reading fundamental theoretical papers, which are also written in academic style, yet they display a much greater level of complexity, and if you dive headfirst in the ocean of laws and theories, you may well be frustrated. So, before you approach a scholarly text, you need a strategy of not just how to read it, but of how to read it efficiently and make the most of it for your own future research.
Be ready to go through the text multiple times.
Preview
You can get a general idea of the text before you even start reading it thoroughly. Study the title and the author. Google the author if the name is unfamiliar to you. Study the table of contents and the references: this information will initiate you into the topic. At this this stage you start establishing links between what you already know on the subject and what is in store for you in the paper.
Read
Read the paper thoroughly, pencil in hand, highlighting key words and making notes in the margins. To this end, it is reasonable to have a printed copy of the article or a device that makes note taking available
Summarise
After you read the text, it is useful to draw a mind map, jot down a quick summary, or otherwise structure the ideas you have received from the text even if it is not assigned to you. This will help you not only to structure the information you have received from the article, but also to
retain it in your memory.
Review
You do not have to read through the whole text over and over again, but it is a good idea to skim it before a class discussion or test for a quick refresher.
Revise the features of academic register (consult E. B. Yastrebova As You Write It textbook, Unit 1 Section1. Style Matters: Formal vs Informal or online resources, e.g. https://academic-englishuk.com/academic-style )
Complete the following table with the features of academic register making use of what you already know about it.

Reading Academic Writing