1. Effective Reading Strategies
Instructor: Pamela Peterson

2. Pre-reading: Being Prepared
Always pre-read an assigned text using a method that works well for you.
Excellent strategies include
Previewing
Asking questions

3. Ask Questions Ask questions before, during, and after reading:
Before: What do I already know about this topic?
During & After: Ask who, what, why, where, when, and how questions.

4. Examples
Experience/Context What experience have I had with ....? What have I heard about….?
Important questions about content
How would I describe the author’s main point(s)? What are the best examples or evidence?
What types of information do the photos or graphs add ?

5. Example: KWL

6. Taking Notes &Text Coding
Highlight and annotate the main ideas, key terms, unfamiliar words, and context clues.
Use context clues to define unfamiliar terms.
Identify confusing or unclear passages with a question mark.
Take notes.

7. Example: Text Coding

8. Personalize Your Note-taking
Identify a note-taking method that works best for you and use it in all of your classes.

9. Cornell Method of Notetaking
Divide the paper into three sections.

10. Cornell Method
Write course name, date, and topic at the top of each page.
You should record this information on all of your notes.

11. Cornell Method
The large box to the right is for writing notes.
Record main ideas, key terms and definitions, examples, and other context clues that help you understand the content.
Don't use complete sentences. Use abbreviations whenever possible.
Develop a shorthand, such as using "&" for the word "and".

12. Cornell Method
Review and clarify Review the notes as soon as possible. Pull out main ideas, key points, dates, and names, and record them in the left column. CONDENSE! Summarize In your own words, write a summary of the main ideas in the bottom section.

13. Example

14. Mapping
Spider Map: A Highly Visual Outline The Spider Map is used to record central ideas, main ideas, supporting details, and other information, including key terms and unfamiliar vocabulary.

15. Example

16. Review: Using Your Notes Successfully
Reduce – Simplify your notes to include only the most important information.
Recite – Restate aloud in your own words the content of your notes
Review - Review your notes often.
Recapitulate –Write a summary in your own words.

17. For All Assignments Read the assignment carefully. Ask questions.
Highlight and annotate main ideas, context clues, key terms, and clarifying information.
Take notes using a method that works best for you.
Always summarize. In your own words, rewrite the most important information.