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Reading List Best Practice

Structure

As a starting point, a reading list can help students explore the subject area and understand the debates and discussions in the field. They also act as a catalyst for students – they use reading lists to help them identify key authors and keywords they can use to find information beyond the reading list. Reading lists aren’t limited to books and journal articles, you can use them to collate resources in a range of formats such as images, videos, websites, and podcasts. 

Use a template to facilitate students navigating your reading list. Weekly, themed, or labelled lists help students to identify and prioritise their reading and preparation for the module. It doesn’t need to be exhaustive. A long alphabetical list can feel overwhelming to students. Add annotations to your reading list to help direct students to specific chapters or to highlight new topics. You can also use tags to identify essential and recommended readings.