Focus/Retention

Remembering what you read is often easier said then done. Most times when were reading we are following until all of the sudden we stop and realize we can't recall what the previous section just said. This problem can have a number of solutions. Sometimes the easiest and best solution can be just listening to the text while you follow along in your textbook. In other cases, you might need to employ active reading strategies like changing section headers and bolded words into questions or creating one sentence summaries for each section you read. These active strategies can can keep you focused on reading and give you the ability to recall the information for longer than simply skimming the page.

Annotations is another reading process. The important part is creating symbols and highlights to respond to the text. After chapter or section, include notes or a summary. Annotations are less about a clear structure and more about what works for you. Symbols should be simple and bear meaning to you. Notes and highlights are added as you need them. The point of annotations is to add your own opinions, thoughts, and reactions into the text.

Recall is beyond just recalling what you read. Recall has to do with remembering what was said in a lecture, remembering concepts, and ability to process new information. While we all have working and long-term memory, the health of those memories are all at different levels, but retention and memory health can be improved upon. It is important to practice different recall strategies to find what works for you. 

Below are some more helpful resources to help practice increase recall.