1. Reading College Level Material: A Whole New Ball Game Compared To High School

2. Interesting Facts About Reading
Reading 15 minutes every day = 1 million words read per year
% of adults said they had not read a book in the past year
% of adults said they had not read a book in the past year
Among those adults who report reading books in the past year, most read print books rather than e-books or audio books
E-books are more popular than audio books
32% of adults used their cell phones to read a book

3. Interesting Facts About Reading
Average college student reads 450 words per minute
42% of college students will never read a book again after they graduate
College graduates read more books per year than those with a high school education or less
29% of college students report not feeling adequately prepared to read college level texts
31% of college students have “high level literacy skills”

4. More Facts about Reading
15% of the population (including college students) have a reading disorder
50% of NASA employees have dyslexia (a specific type of reading disorder)

5. Support For Students With Reading Disabilities At McDaniel
At McDaniel, Student Academic Support Services (SASS) is a resource for students with reading disorders (as well as other disabilities)
Merritt Hall
Suite 117
Phone:

6. Why Is Reading important?
Promotes remembering
Improves analytic thinking ability
Expands your vocabulary
Promotes career success

7. Compare and Contract Reading in High School vs. Reading in College
Discussion
Compare and Contract Reading in High School vs. Reading in College

8. College…. A lot more reading
Reading is of greater depth and complexity
Professors may not review the readings or textbooks as extensively as high school teachers
Student have to read

9. What Is the Point of Reading For Classes?
Material in the readings will more than likely be on tests and quizzes
Information in the readings may help you complete homework assignments, papers, and other class projects
Gives you background information for professor’s lectures and additional details that supplement the lectures
Lectures may be more understandable and easier to follow if readings are completed
Important information that you need to learn for the class may be primarily or only in the readings

10. Getting Started….. Preparing To Read
Be in an environment conducive to reading- consider lighting, noise level, distractions etc.
Important to be comfortable but not too comfortable
Have all of your materials handy –books, handouts, e-readers, syllabus, class notes, highlighters, paper, pen, computer
If you have prior knowledge of the topic you are reading, write down the information you already know or at least review it in your mind
Do not be overconfident in your prior knowledge

11. General Tips On Reading At The College Level
Video: How To Read A Textbook

12. General Tips On Reading At The College Level
Rule of Thumb: Complete readings prior to lecture unless professor indicates otherwise
Read the first sentence of every paragraph carefully – contains important information and gives you the topic of the paragraph
Think and analyze information as you read -Make connections between ideas and concepts as you read
Quiz yourself after you read each section or chapter
Put readings into your own words –either in thought or actual notes
Sometimes reading for main, overarching points is sufficient
Sometimes reading for detail is necessary

13. General Tips On Reading At The College Level
Utilize your class notes as a guide to what is important in the readings
Use the readings to fill in gaps in your notes
Take brief breaks to maintain your focus and concentration
Read material first and then highlight, underline, or mark important points in some way
Numbering can be helpful for denoting sequential steps or ideas
Use white space to jot down additional notes, connections between ideas, examples of concepts, questions etc.

14. General Tips On Reading At The College Level
Be flexible in reading –different classes and different texts may require a different way of reading
Time yourself reading
Read at specific times each week –Schedule time on your calendar to read each week throughout the semester
Do not cram- reading and re-reading facilitate understanding, learning, and ultimately good grades

15. Tips On Reading Complicated Material At The College Level
Re-read and review multiple times to understand the material if needed
Reading slowly and out loud can facilitate understanding of material
Create a study group to review readings –clarify what you do not understand in the group, prepare questions for the professor or tutor, quiz each other
Find other resources that break down complex concepts into simpler terms –try other textbooks, online resources, YouTube Videos –USE CAUTION – There is the possibility of getting incorrect or misinformation from other sources.
Look up any unfamiliar words or terms

16. Tips On Reading Complicated Material At The College Level
Study all visual representation of material carefully-charts, graphs, tables etc.
Complete all practice problems/exercises in the book and answer all discussion questions –Make sure you have the correct answers –Ask professor or tutor if needed
Mark any information you do not understand with a question mark
Taking notes in your own words may be especially important with complicated material

17. Taking Notes from College Level readings
Video offers one way of taking notes from a textbook-implement these ideas or variants of them to match your style
Video: How To Take Notes From The Textbook

18. Specific Techniques Video: SQ3R Method
Video: Reading Textbooks Using SQ4R

19. Specific Techniques KWL Chart
The KWL Chart

20. Specific Techniques
Discussion- Any specific techniques for reading college level material not discussed that you would like to share

21. Increasing reading speed
Over many decades, emphasis on reading as quickly as possible
Speed Reading has been a hot topic
Video –How To Speed Read
Video: Speed Reading-Not So Fast
Bottom Line: Use caution in attempting to speed read or read as quickly as possible

22. Productive reading Speed Depends on….
Complexity of the material
Familiarity with the material
Level of detail needed
Type of book (novel vs. chemistry textbook)
The way the book is written
Ultimately, slow word for word reading is sometimes needed to retain information, understand complex material, and learn detailed information

23. What to Do if reading is boring
Do the boring reading first when you are most alert
Work with a group of friends to read together and quiz each other
Supplement the boring readings with additional textbooks or articles on the topic that are more interesting
Reward yourself once you are done the boring reading

24. Quotes on Reading
The books that help you most are those which make you think the most. The hardest way of learning is that of easy reading; but a great book that comes from a great thinker is a ship of thought, deep freighted with truth and beauty. Pablo Neruda

25. “Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.”
Quotes on Reading
“Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” 
Edmund Burke

26. Quotes on Reading
“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” 
Confucius

27. Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”
Quotes on Reading
“The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” 
Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”

28. References http://balancedreading.com/Scholastic_reading_fa cts.pdf
content/uploads/2012/01/Reading-College- Textbooks-Effectively1.pdf
4/do-you-read-fast-enough-to-be-successful/
college-level-reading-comprehension/
snapshot-of-reading-in-america-in-2013/

29. References http://www.readfaster.com/readingquotes.asp 
gcollegetxtbks.html
uts/College%20Reading%20Tips.pdf

30. References
4/01/the-decline-of-the-american-book- lover/283222/
WritingCenter/StudySkills/TextbookReadingStra tegies.aspx