Reading Tips

q       Read for comprehension rather than speed

q       Read in small portions (this helps with focus)

q       Look up words you do not understand

q       Make notes as you read

o       Highlight or underline [sparsely, and with care]

o       Write questions as you go (e.g., on post-it notes)

o       Use schematics, diagrams, timelines, charts, and other visual aids to illustrate concepts

o       Tie the reading you just did to something that you know already (e.g., something you did previously in that same class, from some other class, or from general experience)

q       Review what you�ve read later it to test comprehension

o       If you took good notes, you should be able to look at your notes and describe the main point of the reading

o       Pick a random sentence from the reading and ask yourself the following questions:

         Why did the author say this?

         What was the author trying to tell me in this part of the reading?

         What came before/after this?

q       Read for facts and ideas (distill but avoid trivialization)