A PRELIMINARY SURVEY OF THE READING INTERESTS OF ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

This preliminary survey of the reading interests of A.A. U. students is a descriptive study based on questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Addis Ababa
University students were the target subjects of the study. However, instructors, librarians and personal observations were used as additional sources of data. The result of the study indicates that most of the subjects do read materials outside their courses in their free time. However, the amount of reading is very small. They appear to have no specific reading interests largely due to lack of variety in the reading materials they manage to read. Their leisure reading in English has a utilitarian purpose. That is, they read ill English both for language improvement and for pleasure.