Perspectives

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12 Jun

2022
Suggested Readings
<p><strong>Introduction</strong></p><p>In the earlier section on how to write a personal statement, we focused on the importance of demonstrating an academic interest in your subject and how you can do this by talking about some of the materials that you’ve read.</p><p>This section goes into further detail into the sort of academic literature that you should engage in, where to find them and how you can determine if the material is pitched at an appropriate level.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Additional Readings - Determining Your Interest</strong></p><p>There is no doubt that finding out more about your subject will put you in a much better position when you start writing your personal statement. When you read beyond the A-Level and IB syllabus, your understanding of the subject expands.</p><p>But that is not the only purpose of doing the readings. At a more fundamental level, the process of finding out more about your subject helps you confirms your passion for it. Hopefully, the more you find out about a subject, the more interested you become. This is very important since the Oxbridge admission process places a lot of emphasis on a candidate’s passion for his or her subject.</p><p>Having said that, it is also possible that after doing some additional readings, some students find that they dont really like their subject that much. In such situations, it pays to be honest with yourself. If you force yourself to apply for a subject that you really dont have much interest in, that will eventually show through in your personal statement and at the interview stage.</p><p>Take the opportunity to explore different areas in your subject and discover what you are inclined towards. Don’t worry if you find a particular book on the subject boring. You dont have to enjoy every single topic, most people tend to have certain topics that they are particularly interested in.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Where to Look</strong></p><p><i>Universities</i></p><p>It might be difficult to know where to begin your search. As a start, it is a good idea to look at the reading lists that universities provide to applicants. For instance, the following link from Oxford university offers subject specific recommended readings lists:</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/suggested-reading-and-resources?wssl=1">www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/suggested-reading-and-resources?wssl=1</a></p><p><i>Other Sources</i></p><p>Asides from consulting the reading lists provided by various universities, feel free to use other means like Google and Youtube to supplement your learning process. Be creative in your search for materials. Videos and diagrams can sometimes be more helpful at introducing a complex concept than a lengthy chunk of text.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>What to Read</strong></p><p>Be selective about the materials you pick because your time is precious. There is a fine balance between reading material which is too easy and material which is too advanced for you.</p><p>As a rule of thumb, you want to avoid extremely popular books which everyone quotes from. Here’s the reason why. It’s not that books like “The Selfish Gene” and “Freakonomics” are not useful for helping you understand a particular subject, it’s just that quoting these books may not help your application stand out, simply because many applicants will write about these books.</p><p>On the other hand, mentioning a specialist publication or research journal which pertains to your own subject may draw the attention of the reader.</p><p>Many of these specialist texts can be found in the subject reading lists mentioned above.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>How to Read</strong></p><p>Some books will be difficult to get through. That’s okay. Take your time so long as you’re making progress. Take notes as you read the books so that you have something to refer to afterwards. This will be very useful for refreshing your memory, especially in situations where a long period of time has elapsed between the interview date and the time when you read the book.</p><p>Oftentimes, you’ll find that the book you’re reading deals with many topics and you might only be interested in a few of these. That’s perfectly alright. Start with the ones which you like first. It’s okay if you do not finish an entire book. What matters is that you come away with additional knowledge about your subject which interests you.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Recommendations</strong></p><p>If you need some additional ideas, here are some recommendations for various subjects:</p><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Biology</td><td><p><strong>Frank Ryan, Virus X</strong></p><p><i>"I read this book sometime between my first and second year of my Natural Sciences course. It is an excellent and fascinating account of virology and viral evolution from a more historical perspective - great for students intending to specialise within Pathology or other biomedical science options. The content should be accessible for anyone with A level Biology knowledge, and gives a good insight into the research behind virus discovery as well as some of the social and economic influences of the latter."</i></p></td></tr><tr><td>Biochemistry</td><td><p><strong>Steven Rose, Chemistry of Life</strong></p><p><i>"Very good at introducing major topics in biochemistry that you can not read about in depth in A-Level textbooks, such as immunology and cancer. Although these books are pretty in depth, they are very accessible for anyone with AS-A2 biology knowledge. I am interested in immunology and cancer so I mentioned this book in my personal statement and how it gave me a preview into these topics. Highly recommended."</i></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Nick Lane, Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life</strong></p><p><i>"As the name of the book suggests, the key focus lies in the evolution and role of mitochondria in multicellularity. Personally, I found the argument of oxidation behind senescence the most intriguing aspect about this book. Some of the content in this book can be quite challenging for A-Level students and is perhaps more suited to those students looking for a challenge and who are keen to explore topics like evolution and metabolism."</i></p></td></tr><tr><td>Chemistry</td><td><p><strong>Peter Sykes, Guidebook to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry</strong></p><p><i>"Sykes provides a solid introduction to the nature of organic chemistry. It has a consistent layout and approach that is useful for students to learn and adopt. In this book, the basic concepts are very much explored and emphasised."</i></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>James Keeler &amp; Peter Wothers, Why Chemical Reactions Happen</strong></p><p><i>"Keeler and Wothers build an accurate picture of the overlap between physical and organic chemistry in their explanation of the key driving forces behind reactions. It is a suitable </i>introductory text for students who wish to acquire insight into the chemical world."</p></td></tr><tr><td>Economics</td><td><p><strong>Paul Krugman, End This Depression Now!</strong></p><p><i>"This book gives a neo-Keynesian approach to recovery after the Great Recession. In it, Krugman discusses the political obstacles that economists regularly face, such as convincing an electorate of the necessity of deficit spending. He provides a thorough analysis of the contrasting ideologies that would yield different economic results. With a clear link between economics and policy, this book gives a nuanced overview of the relationship between solid economic thinking and positive social impact."</i></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Michael Sandel, What Money Can't Buy</strong></p><p><i>"With riveting anecdotes about the exploitative nature of capitalist markets, Sandel argues that contrary to what conventional economic wisdom might have us think, not everything has a price and can be monetised. He poses increasingly philosophical questions about the role of markets in everyday life, giving readers more questions than answers and calling into question the purpose of economics. Very useful for students wishing to expand their understanding of this diverse subject."</i></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Partha Dasgupta, Economics: A Very Short Introduction</strong></p><p><i>"The importance of economics is taught through the stories of 2 children born in different parts of the world, whose fortunes are determined by sheer luck. This book exposed me to development economics, as well as its tight link with sociological, anthropological, geographical and political issues. It gives a concise, entry-level exposition of the problems the world faces and the tools we have to aid others in need. A definite must-read."</i></p></td></tr><tr><td>History</td><td><p><strong>Edward Hallett Carr, What is History?</strong></p><p><i>"Carr’s What is History is rumoured to be the most cited book in History UCAS applications. It is easy to see why. The book deconstructs History to provide a top notch introduction to the subject while laying out the conceptual challenges and subtleties expected of any future History student."</i></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Edward Said, Orientalism</strong></p><p><i>"When first published, Said’s Orientalism changed the direction of historical study, starting the so called ‘literary turn’. In his book, Said explores imperialism as a cultural construct, noting the way the Orient is perceived in the Occident in order to facilitate empire. A highly recommended text for prospective History students."</i></p></td></tr><tr><td>Mathematics</td><td><p><strong>A Very Short Introduction, Timothy Gowers</strong></p><p><i>"An amalgamation of basic school mathematics and some interesting mathematics that the A level syllabus does not deal with. A good, short read. "</i></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Mathematical Carnival, Martin Gardener</strong></p><p><i>"An interesting read with a flavour of mathematics that is not often found in schools. A perfect book to stretch the reader’s capacity for thinking outside of the box."</i></p></td></tr><tr><td>Law</td><td><p><strong>Glanville Williams: Learning the Law</strong></p><p><i>"This text introduces many of the important legal skills and techniques an law student should master. It is also useful for clearing up common misconceptions about the law and helps one to avoid potential pitfalls in the interviews. The text manages to be insightful while not being too heavy a read. Overall a great introductory text for the aspiring lawyer."</i></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Nicholas J McBride: Letters to a Law Student</strong></p><p><i>"An insightful and practical guide for law applicants. In fact for those of you who have not decided on your future career path, the "Why Law" section will be of great benefit to you. Written in an accessible manner, the book challenges the reader’s views and perspectives on the law and sets them thinking. Definitely a good book to have."</i></p></td></tr><tr><td>Politics</td><td><p><strong>Julian Baggini, The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten</strong></p><p><i>"This book has lots of thought experiments, which are devices used to express a philosophical idea in a clear way to the reader. It is a perfect introduction to philosophy for those who haven’t studied the subject before and also contains a range of different scenarios that could be referenced in a personal statement. Students who read this book will become familiar with the use of thought experiments. This is a great tool for tackling the interviews since it allows the student to express complex philosophical ideas in a simple and clear fashion.</i></p></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>