Building Your Reading List
Without AI to generate suggestions, you'll build your reading list through deliberate research. This takes more time but often produces better resultsâyou understand why each text is included because you found it yourself.
Starting Points
What You Already Know
If you've studied this topic, you already have opinions about what matters. Start there:
- What texts shaped your understanding?
- What do experts in the field constantly reference?
- What books sit on your shelf because they're essential?
Write these down before researching further. Your intuitions are valuable.
Academic Literature
For established fields, academic publishing provides a roadmap:
- Google Scholar: Search your topic + "foundational" or "canonical" or "seminal"
- Citation counts: Highly-cited works have influenced the field
- Review articles: Literature reviews often name the essential texts
- Syllabi: Search "[topic] syllabus" to see what professors assign
Expert Communities
People who work in the field know what matters:
- Ask directly: Email a professor, post in a forum
- Twitter/academic social media: Scholars often discuss canonical works
- Podcast interviews: Experts frequently name influential readings
- "What should I read?" threads: Reddit, Discord, and forums have these
Evaluating Candidates
For each potential reading, ask:
Is it primary or secondary?
| Type | Include as... |
|---|---|
| Original theoretical work | Core lesson reading |
| Commentary or explanation | Additional resource |
| Textbook summary | Generally skip |
| Popular translation of ideas | Additional resource at most |
How influential is it?
Check Google Scholar citation count as a rough guide:
| Citation Count | What It Suggests |
|---|---|
| 10,000+ | Major foundational work |
| 1,000-10,000 | Significant in the field |
| 100-1,000 | Specialized but respected |
| Under 100 | May be too niche or too new |
These numbers vary by fieldâphilosophy has lower counts than psychology. Compare to other works in your topic.
Can learners access it?
| Source | Accessibility |
|---|---|
| Internet Archive | Free borrowing for 14 days |
| Open access repository | Free permanent access |
| Library (physical or digital) | Free with membership |
| In-print book ($15-30) | Accessible to most |
| Out-of-print ($50+) | Barrier for many learners |
| Behind expensive paywall | Likely exclude |
Don't make learners hunt or pay unreasonable amounts.
Does it fit the conversation?
Your readings should be in dialogue with each other:
- Does this text reference others in your list?
- Is it referenced by others in your list?
- Does it address your central question?
- Does it use vocabulary established by other readings?
Outliers may be interesting but weaken curriculum coherence.
Organizing into Clusters
As you gather readings, patterns emerge:
Natural Groupings
Readings often cluster around:
- Foundational concepts: The basic vocabulary and frameworks
- Historical development: How ideas evolved over time
- Different perspectives: Schools of thought or methodological approaches
- Applications: How theory applies to specific contexts
- Critiques: Challenges and responses to core ideas
Sequencing
Within and across clusters, consider:
- Concept dependencies: Which ideas require understanding others first?
- Chronology: Earlier works often define terms later works use
- Difficulty: Accessible texts before dense ones
- Motivation: Put engaging readings early to build momentum
Example: Building a Social Theory List
Step 1: Starting intuitions
- Berger & Luckmann (I know this is foundational)
- Douglas's "How Institutions Think" (Referenced constantly)
- Searle on social facts (Builds on Berger)
Step 2: Citation research
- Google Scholar shows these are all highly cited
- Bibliographies repeatedly reference Schutz, Durkheim, Weber
- Add these as potential earlier foundations
Step 3: Access check
- Berger & Luckmann: Internet Archive â
- Douglas: In print, $18 â
- Searle: Library access â
- Schutz: Academic paywall â (move to additional resources)
Step 4: Organization
- Cluster 1: Foundations (Durkheim excerpt, Weber excerpt)
- Cluster 2: Social Construction (Berger & Luckmann, Searle)
- Cluster 3: Institutional Analysis (Douglas)
Final Checklist
Before moving on:
- 10-20 readings identified
- Each text verified as accessible
- Natural thematic clusters visible
- Readings form coherent intellectual conversation
- You can explain why each text is included
Assignment
Build your reading list through research:
Step 1: Seed your list (30 min)
- Write down texts you already know are foundational
- Search "[your topic] foundational texts" and note recommendations
- Ask colleagues or communities what they consider essential
Step 2: Validate with citations (45 min)
- Search Google Scholar for your topic
- Open 5-10 highly-cited papers
- Check their bibliographies
- Note which texts appear repeatedly
Step 3: Check accessibility (30 min)
- For each candidate text, find where learners could access it
- Remove or mark texts that aren't accessible
- Prioritize texts with free or low-cost access
Step 4: Organize by theme (20 min)
- Group related readings together
- Look for natural clusters
- Note which readings seem foundational vs. advanced
Final list: 10-20 texts organized by theme
Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Primary sources are original works that introduced ideas. These should form the core of your curriculum.
Secondary sources explain, interpret, or apply primary sources. These can be valuable as additional resources but shouldn't replace engaging with originals.
Example:
- Primary: Berger & Luckmann's The Social Construction of Reality
- Secondary: A textbook chapter explaining social constructionism
Always ask: "Is this the original, or is it explaining something else?"
The Citation Test
In established fields, foundational texts are frequently cited by later works. Use this to validate your selections:
- Search for your topic on Google Scholar
- Look at highly-cited papers in the field
- Check their bibliographies for recurring references
- Texts that appear repeatedly are likely foundational
If a text is rarely cited by work in the field, it may be interesting but not foundational.
Accessibility Matters
A curriculum only works if learners can access the readings. For each text, verify:
- Internet Archive: Many older works available for free borrowing
- Library access: University libraries, public library digital collections
- Open access: Some academic work is freely available
- Reasonable purchase: In-print books learners might buy
A foundational text that no one can access doesn't belong in your curriculum.
The Coherence Check
Your readings should form a coherent conversation, not a random collection:
- Do the texts reference each other?
- Do they build on shared concepts?
- Is there intellectual lineage connecting them?
- Do they address related aspects of your central question?
If texts feel disconnected, either your topic is too broad or you need different selections.
How does the citation test help identify foundational texts?
Hint: Think about what it means when many later works reference something.
Why prioritize primary sources over secondary sources?
Hint: Consider the difference between engaging with ideas directly vs. through interpretation.
Google Scholar
Search academic literature and see citation counts.