Can the use of reading tasks enhance students' confidence in the use of academic literature?

This article explores the growing diversity of the modern student body and the growing need to prepare students for reading at a tertiary level. It describes a small-scale case study that was devised with the aim of assessing and enhancing student engagement with academic literature by introducing guided reading tasks during the first term of Year 1 of the BSc (Hons) in Cosmetic Science at London College of Fashion (UAL). After outlining the literature that informed the design of these tasks, this article discusses the project results, which indicated that students found guided reading helpful with the added effect of increasing their confidence as independent learners.