1. Active Reading and Thinking Strategies
Chapter 1

2. 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?

3. 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.

4. 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?

5. 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!

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. Is there a Secret?
Preview
Question
Read
Reflect
Recite
Review
PQ4R

10. Do all this before you start reading
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

11. 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.

12. 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

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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

16. Did you know?
When most professors read books, they use this strategy. We almost never read something just once from start to finish.

17. Please pull out your Thinking Through The Test book
Vocabulary
Main Idea
Details
Patterns of Organization
62-66
71-75
Inferences
Fact/Opinion
Tone/Purpose
Bias/Support
Combined Skills