College ReadingCollege Reading Of all the skills necessary to Of all the skills necessary to

succeed in college, the two most succeed in college, the two most important are:important are:

Reading Reading – – the intake of informationthe intake of information WritingWriting – – the production of informationthe production of information

In this presentation, you will In this presentation, you will learn learn how to make your reading how to make your reading skills work for youskills work for you……

Read it!Process it!

Use it!

Take Charge of Your ReadingTake Charge of Your Reading Before all else, if you don’t like to read, Before all else, if you don’t like to read,

accept the importance of the skill and accept the importance of the skill and work on it. This is CRITICAL to your work on it. This is CRITICAL to your success!success!

Commit to reading goalsCommit to reading goals Plan time and space to concentratePlan time and space to concentrate Capture knowledge and connect ideasCapture knowledge and connect ideas Know how to read primary andKnow how to read primary and

secondary sources. secondary sources. Preview and Review…Preview and Review…

Commit to Reading GoalsCommit to Reading Goals Stay positive, reading can be enjoyable.Stay positive, reading can be enjoyable. Make the author your companion.Make the author your companion. Pace yourself according to difficulty level.Pace yourself according to difficulty level. Take breaks (10 min break every 50 minutes).Take breaks (10 min break every 50 minutes). Read other sources if the assigned reading is Read other sources if the assigned reading is

confusing.confusing. Keep building your vocabulary (keep a dictionary Keep building your vocabulary (keep a dictionary

handy).handy). When studying for a test, skim readings for key When studying for a test, skim readings for key

points and termspoints and terms.. Make understanding the material of prime Make understanding the material of prime

importanceimportance..

Plan Time and Space to Plan Time and Space to ConcentrateConcentrate College reading takes a great College reading takes a great

deal of concentration.deal of concentration. Find an environment in which Find an environment in which

you can concentrate best.you can concentrate best. If you must read in a noisy If you must read in a noisy

environment, consider wearing environment, consider wearing headphones with familiar headphones with familiar instrumental music just loud instrumental music just loud enough to block distractions.enough to block distractions.

Schedule time to read in a Schedule time to read in a place where you won’t be place where you won’t be interrupted (or distracted).interrupted (or distracted).

Capture and ConnectCapture and Connect Capture the supporting details; Capture the supporting details;

connect them to the main idea.connect them to the main idea. Capture what you don’t know and Capture what you don’t know and

connect it to what you do know.connect it to what you do know. Elements of Your Reading PlanElements of Your Reading Plan

1.1. PreviewPreview2.2. SkimmingSkimming3.3. Active ReadingActive Reading4.4. Analytic ReadingAnalytic Reading5.5. ReviewReview

Know How to Read Primary Know How to Read Primary and Secondary Sourcesand Secondary Sources

Primary Source -Primary Source - material written in material written in some original form; some original form; more difficult more difficult reading level.reading level. AutobiographiesAutobiographies SpeechesSpeeches Research ReportsResearch Reports Government Government

DocumentsDocuments Scholarly ArticlesScholarly Articles

Secondary Source -Secondary Source - summarizes or summarizes or interprets primary interprets primary sourcessources Magazine ArticlesMagazine Articles TextbooksTextbooks

Developing Your VocabularyDeveloping Your Vocabulary Consider the context around new Consider the context around new

and challenging words. and challenging words. Jot down unfamiliar terms and Jot down unfamiliar terms and

find the meaning using a find the meaning using a dictionary.dictionary.

Analyze terms to discover the Analyze terms to discover the most meaningful part of the word most meaningful part of the word (especially true in Biology). (especially true in Biology).

Take the opportunity to use new Take the opportunity to use new terms in your writing and terms in your writing and speaking. speaking.

Learn to read “outside the

box!”

A Reader’s GlossaryA Reader’s GlossaryCause-effectCause-effect How one thing causes anotherHow one thing causes another to happento happen

Compare-contrastCompare-contrast How things are similar and how they are differentHow things are similar and how they are different

Draw a conclusionDraw a conclusion To make up your mind about an ideaTo make up your mind about an idea

Context clueContext clue Getting the meaning of a word from the words Getting the meaning of a word from the words around itaround it

ImpliedImplied Suggested without being directly statedSuggested without being directly stated

InferenceInference To guess or speculate to draw a conclusionTo guess or speculate to draw a conclusion

Main ideaMain idea The primary subject of a passage or paragraphThe primary subject of a passage or paragraph

ObjectivityObjectivity Not influenced by personal feelings or prejudiceNot influenced by personal feelings or prejudice

Prior knowledgePrior knowledge What you already knowWhat you already know

Supporting detailsSupporting details Specific items that elaborate on the main ideaSpecific items that elaborate on the main idea

PreviewPreview Scan the material to see what Scan the material to see what

lies ahead.lies ahead. Consider the context for the Consider the context for the

assignment.assignment. Consider the length of the Consider the length of the

reading assignment and reading assignment and estimate how long it will take. estimate how long it will take.

Consider the structure and Consider the structure and features of the reading to help features of the reading to help you digest the material.you digest the material.

Consider the difficulty and Consider the difficulty and plan your time accordingly.plan your time accordingly.

This is a lot of work! Who needs it?

ReviewingReviewing Review to remember the main Review to remember the main

points of the material.points of the material. Test yourself on your Test yourself on your

comprehension.comprehension. Some ways to review:Some ways to review:

notesnotes study questionsstudy questions flash cardsflash cards visual mapsvisual maps outlinesoutlines

Make reviewing every week a Make reviewing every week a study goal.study goal.

SkimmingSkimming Skimming covers the content Skimming covers the content

at a general level.at a general level. It involves reading at about It involves reading at about

twice your normal rate.twice your normal rate. Focuses on introductory statements, topic Focuses on introductory statements, topic

sentences and boldface terms.sentences and boldface terms. Provides the chance for you to see what Provides the chance for you to see what

kind of information the assignment containskind of information the assignment contains Enables you to gather the surface ideas if Enables you to gather the surface ideas if

you don’t have enough time to read deeply.you don’t have enough time to read deeply.

Skim!!!

Active Active ReadingReading

Use it to avoid Use it to avoid emptyempty reading reading——reading reading then realizing that no information has then realizing that no information has come across.come across.

Focus on identifying the main ideas Focus on identifying the main ideas and on understanding how supporting and on understanding how supporting points reinforce those ideas.points reinforce those ideas.

In other words, get really interested & In other words, get really interested & involved!involved!

Read us the story about

the wolf

Right!Get involved in reading!

Analytic ReadingAnalytic Reading Reading at a more intense level.Reading at a more intense level. Involves breaking ideas open and digging Involves breaking ideas open and digging

underneath their surface.underneath their surface. Enables you to try to spot flaws in the Enables you to try to spot flaws in the

writer’s logic.writer’s logic. Promotes a comparison of the work to other Promotes a comparison of the work to other

works.works. Should involve questioning the author and Should involve questioning the author and

yourself.yourself. In other words, active skepticism with a In other words, active skepticism with a

purposepurpose

Highlighting TextHighlighting Text HighlightHighlight::

Topic sentences, Key words, ConclusionsTopic sentences, Key words, Conclusions But watch out!But watch out!

Highlighting too much can Highlighting too much can cause you to cause you to re-read everythingre-read everything because you don’t because you don’t know what’s important.know what’s important.

Highlighting doesn’t show you Highlighting doesn’t show you whywhy you you highlighted somethinghighlighted something

You You need to have the entire textneed to have the entire text with with you to review.you to review.

Important Points About College Important Points About College ReadingReading

Instructors do NOT always cover Instructors do NOT always cover the reading material in lecture.the reading material in lecture.

You are expected to read the You are expected to read the material and understand it on your material and understand it on your own.own.

Successful students complete Successful students complete assigned readings assigned readings beforebefore class to class to help them understand the lecture.help them understand the lecture.

Connections and overlaps between Connections and overlaps between lecture and reading reinforce lecture and reading reinforce learning. learning.

Also, reading ahead prevents you Also, reading ahead prevents you from being embarrassed when you from being embarrassed when you are called on to discuss what are called on to discuss what you’ve read!you’ve read!

Take that!Unworthy adversary

of reading!

A Summary of Strategies A Summary of Strategies to Improve Reading to Improve Reading

Practice a Practice a positive attitude.positive attitude.

Make the author Make the author your companion.your companion.

Pace yourself Pace yourself according to according to difficulty level.difficulty level.

Take breaks to Take breaks to restore restore concentration.concentration.

Read other sources if Read other sources if the reading is the reading is confusing.confusing.

Build your Build your vocabulary.vocabulary.

Work on reading Work on reading faster.faster.