Active Reading and Thinking StrategiesChapter 1

Self-Evaluation Does your mind go blank when you take a test? Have you ever done poorly on a test even though

you read the chapter two or three times? When reading, is it hard to remember what you read

a few pages ago? Feel like you know what you read but you can’t

explain it? Do you feel like you should be getting more from

your textbooks?

Active Reading Reading textbooks is not like reading novels. Efficient and effective reading allows you to

read many more pages of text in less time. Active reading improves your recall and

understanding. Active reading allows you to better grasp

complicated reading material.

Get Acquainted Buy your textbooks as early as you can.

If you’re certain of the books you need, buy them before classes start.

Get familiar with each book Read the introduction Look at the table of contents Does it have a glossary? What’s the vocabulary like?

Take your time When beginning a reading assignment, make

sure you have an idea of how long it will take Break the reading into manageable chunks Find the right speed for you

Too fast, and you miss important information Too slow, you’re probably paying too much attention

to unimportant detail

Don’t fall behind!

Do’s of Active Reading Read in an environment that works for you

Well-lit, free of distractions You may need to move around If you fall asleep while reading, sit up – don’t lie down

Take breaks What’s your concentration limit?

Read every day (even weekends) Be creative and thoughtful

Mark your books (but don’t mark every word) Read while you’re alert Read out loud if the material is complicated

Don’ts of Active Reading Don’t study in bed. Don’t have the TV on while you study Don’t play music while you read

Some people need background noise, though Don’t plan to read for hours at a time Don’t read when you’re sleepy Don’t fall behind Don’t wait till the last minute

Mark your book! Forget selling your books back to the

bookstore. Make notes in the margin

Don’t highlight while reading If you don’t understand something, put a

question mark by it.

Is there a Secret? Preview Question Read Reflect Recite Review

PQ4R

Preview What is the reading about? How complicated is it? How long is it? Do I need to break it into

chunks? Is it related to lecture topics? Do I need a dictionary?

Do all this before you start reading

Question What questions will this reading answer? Use headings in the readings Use lecture notes to guide questions Suggestion: make index cards with the major

points, headings, or questions.

Read Break the assignment into chunks and read it. Possible strategies:

Keep a pen in your hand (not a highlighter). Use it. Use a tape recorder to record interesting, important, or

useful phrases. Make sketches as you read. Engage the author in a conversation – ask questions and

let the author answer them Don’t memorize yet. Try to hear the author’s message

Reflect Just what it sounds like – think about the

reading. How does the reading relate to lecture topics? How does it fit with or challenge what you

already know? What are the answers to the questions that you

asked After you reflect, go back and highlight

important points.

Recite Explain what you read Strategies –

Write a one-sentence summary of each main segment. Explain the reading out loud to yourself or someone else. Draw a flowchart that shows connections between ideas

in the reading. This is where you learn what you understand and

what you don’t understand.

Review Go back over the reading

Wait a day or two. See whether you remember the main

concepts, even without looking at the book. Ask a question in class or after class about

something you didn’t quite get. Focus on the hardest material

Did you know? When most professors read books, they use

this strategy. We almost never read something just once from start to finish.

Please pull out your Thinking Through The Test book Vocabulary 83-86 Main Idea 17-20 Details 24-27 Patterns of Organization 46-56

62-66

71-75 Inferences 117-128 Fact/Opinion 109-113 Tone/Purpose 31-38

100-105 Bias/Support 91-95

132-136 Combined Skills