College Reading & Active Reading By Emanuel Hughley Jr. Assistant professor of English and Journalism/Mass Communications Cuyahoga Community College Highland Hills Ohio

College students’ main task Students spend much of their time studying. For every hour of lecture time students commonly spend one to two hours completing reading assignments. All reading assignments fall into two categories. Literal thinking reading assignments. Critical thinking reading assignments.

Literal thinking reading Textbook reading assignments Students usually get these assignments in courses like psychology history anatomy and physiology chemistry information technology-related courses.

Literal Thinking Reading Students’ goals Learn facts to learn the meaning of specific terms memorize dates and names learn parts of different systems.

Critical thinking reading Students are assigned this type of reading assignments in these courses: anthropology English composition literature philosophy political science sociology

Critical Reading Best suited for reading that emphasizes concepts rather than facts. short stories and novels magazine articles editorials or opinion pieces Students’ goal analyze authors’ concepts and opinions determine if they agree with author’s views

Two reading strategies Two different kinds of reading assignments need two different reading strategies. A strategy for studying textbooks A strategy for reading literature and opinion pieces. Use Active Reading for novels and short stories, magazine articles and editorials. Understanding how to use these two strategies is the key to a student’s academic success. First, let’s examine SQ5R.

What is SQ5R? A strategy for studying textbook chapters. A way to learn more information in less time. Emphasizes three ways we learn information. Seeing Hearing Doing

What is SQ5R? A study technique that develops literal thinking skills. Knowledge Comprehension Application

What is SQ5R? Students use literal thinking skill to retain information You must know a fact; You must comprehend or understand the meaning of the fact; You must apply that understanding in a new situation.

SQ5R has seven steps Survey Question Read Respond Record Recite Review

What happens when you survey? You read only the information that stands out.

What does that mean? Read the chapter’s title. Read the chapter’s preview summary. Read the titles of the chapter’s subdivisions. Read words in boldface type. Read words in italics. Look at photos and other graphics. Read the chapter’s concluding summary.

How does this help? After you have surveyed a textbook chapter, you have a general idea what the chapter is about. You are ready for the next step: Question

What does Question mean? Turn the chapter’s title into a question. Turn the chapter’s subdivision titles into questions.

Here’s an example: The chapter’s title is: “Understanding parts of speech”. What questions can you makeup for this title? What are parts of speech? Why do I need to understand parts of speech?

How does this help? Helps you decide what information to look for. Gives you an idea where to find the information you need to learn. Prepares for the first R: Read

How should you read? You don’t need to read the whole chapter. Only read enough to answer your question. Hint: Look for the key words of your question in the text following the title.

How does this help? Now you know what the answer looks like.

What’s next? Respond--say the answer out loud.

How does this help? Now you hear what the answer sounds like.

What’s next? Record--write the answer on a note card or in your notebook.

How does this help? Now you know how writing the answer feels.

What’s the next step? Recite-- Read the answer repeatedly until you have memorized it.

What’s next? Review--Test yourself. See how much you learned by answering your questions without looking at your notes.

If you miss an answer? Find the answer in your notes. Back up one step. Recite the answer until you think you have memorized it. Repeat your review.

One size does not fit all All college reading assignments do not deal with just learning facts. Some college reading assignments require the students to do three additional intellectual feats. Understand the author’s opinions Determine whether they agree with the author’s opinions Explain why they agree or disagree.

One Size does not fit all . . . This requires the strategy of Active Reading. Click on this link http://instruct.tri-c.edu/ehughle/JMC_2010/JMC_2010_LECTURE_NOTES/Active_Reading2.ppt