- Engage prior knowledge of the genre, form, textual elements, and narrative elements (e.g., theme, setting, conflict). For example, knowing that a piece of text is a short story rather than a magazine article, what might you expect to find? Knowing that it's a mystery rather than a romance, what might you expect to find?
- Alter the rate or speed at which you read. For some purposes, you may wish to scan (glance quickly through a text to find a particular piece of information). At other times, you may want to skim material (read it quickly to obtain main ideas). On the other hand, some texts should be read slowly and carefully to understand them completely.
- Monitor comprehension (e.g., realize when my mind is wandering).
- Clarify as needed using use reference strategies and reference technologies (e.g., look up words you don’t know in a thesaurus/dictionary, use context to determine the connotative meanings of words, look up references to people and places in an encyclopedia). See also Vocabulary.
- Read passages out loud. If you have trouble reading a lot of text in your head, Have Online Texts Read to You or, where provided, read along with the audiobook files. Know, however, that you will need to be able to read silently and independently for tests.
- Form a variety of questions (5Ws and H) about what you've read
- Make predictions about what the text will be about or what will happen next
- Use graphic organizers to organize your thoughts and knowledge about a text (e.g., plot diagrams, character webs, compare/contrast charts)
- Make annotations (notes on the text itself, like circling, underlining, comments in the margin) and notes (taken separately, for example, documenting key quotes with the reference to page number)
- Summarize and describe narrative elements
- Visualize (in your head or through drawing) the content of the text
- If you're really stuck, want to confirm you're on the right track, or want information about the author or context, consider visiting CourseHero and go to Study Resources --> By book or another reliable source online.
Most, if not all, of the questions you will be asked with regard to a text (whether short answer or on a MC test) will either be asking you:
- What does the text SAY? This is the most basic kind of question and it is just requiring you to go back to the text, look at the passage in question, and give the details you find. It asks you to answer on a LITERAL level.
- What does the text MEAN? This is the next level up. It will include words like "interpret" or "imply" or "suggest." It's asking you to put pieces of information from the text, clues if you will, to come up with a reasonable understanding or interpretation of the meaning of a certain phrase, a character's motivation, or what the author might want the reader to understand or feel. Often, this will be what the text says on a FIGURATIVE level.
- How does the text WORK? This question requires you to examine the literary and rhetorical techniques and devices that the author has used to create certain effects on the audience. You should identify the technique or device, and then assess what its function is in the text. Often techniques enhance what a text MEANS, but it might also affect how a reader FEELS.
- Why does the text MATTER? This is the highest level. It asks you to evaluate the author's purpose in creating the text - the "main message," "key idea," or theme that they are trying to get across. It requires you to think about the text as a whole, look for patterns and repeated ideas, and answer the question, "So what?"
Oftentimes, a series of questions about a text will occur in this order.
Close Reading/ Literary Analysis
Review the tips on Reading for Examinations on pages 40-42 of The Key. As you read the text in class, make note of the things that close reading requires. Ask yourself questions about word meanings, literary devices, writing techniques, and theme(s)/thesis.
Reading Comprehension Exams
- For multiple choice quizzes, review the tips on pages 44-45 of The Key―especially the tips about paying close attention to vocabulary words, the keywords in the boxes, and what to do with questions that ask for the ‘best’ answer.
- For questions that ask for the best answer, use a process of elimination by looking for answers that contain some information that is inaccurate, and/or by evaluating the two strongest answers, looking at the original question for a keyword, and selecting the one that best aligns with that keyword (this is often an adjective or a literary term).
- After receiving your marks back on reading comprehension tests or assignments, if you don’t understand why you lost marks, bring your test or assignment to your teacher to discuss it. Sometimes there is a clear right or wrong answer; other times, it is often the case that the teacher was looking for a clear idea with specific support, and if there is faulty logic or inadequate support, full marks will not be awarded. It is best to clarify this with your teacher.
- How to Answer Multiple Choice Questions About Literature: A good video on some basic strategies
- ExamBank Practice Exams: Taking these practice exams will help prepare you, as you can see why a certain answer was considered correct or the best answer. Username: bearspaw Password: grizzlies
- Learning Express Practice Exams: This video shows you how to access additional practice tutorials and exams for reading comprehension.