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If this sounds all too familiar, take heart, you are not alone. You need to recognise that reading may be the most demanding work that you will be required to do and that nearly everyone reports difficulty with the volume of reading assigned to them. So how are you supposed to get through that mountain of reading? The first thing to keep in mind is that no one (realistically) expects you to read every single item that is given to you. This is just not possible, unless of course you don’t eat or sleep. Once you realise that this is the case you need to turn your attention to trying to make your reading more effective so that you are able to recall what you’ve read. Reading from cover to cover won’t help you to retain information. You have to realise that you’re not reading a novel, you are collecting information. The following tips are designed to help you become a more effective reader. 1) Read the material more often but for shorter periods of time. Most students can read for 20 - 30 minutes without losing concentration. Studies have shown that learning is improved by changing tasks each hour, spreading the work over time, and dipping into it more frequently. 2) Read groups of words at a time and don’t mouth them. Read as though you’re skimming for information, not as though you are practising a speech you plan to recite. Your brain can read faster than your mouth. Speed and comprehension will increase if you read in meaningful phrases. 3) Figure out "why" you are reading the material. Establish a context by beginning with an overview of the material. This will improve your comprehension and retention. Begin by reading the introduction, headings, charts, graphs, diagrams, conclusion, and summary. Then take a minute to think about the material before beginning to read in depth. 4) Read with a purpose. Don’t just begin reading. Before you read ask yourself some questions and then note the answers or the most important points where they occur. Establish a list of questions, either by turning the headings into questions, or by looking at your class notes. Then read with the intention of answering these questions. Check the margins when you think you've found answers. It's better not to take notes, highlight, or underline at this point; you won't know which are the most important points until you are finished. Read through the material again and focus on your checks in the margin while deciding which points are the most important. It is only at this point where you will be able to make an informed opinion and then highlight or take notes of the material. 5) Turn your reading material into a study tool. You’ve bought the books - so use them. Since you
don’t have to give them back feel free to mark them up, highlight
passages, and write notes in them. Write your questions in the margins,
opposite the answers. Regularly review the material by covering
the page and answering the questions. |
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