Active Reading Strategies
Have you ever reading something, gotten to the end of it, and forgotten what you've read? Or sometimes we can just feel our eyes staring blankly at the page. These tips will help you stay focused and be able to respond to what questions about you are reading.
Have you ever finished reading a passage or article and realized that you don't remember anything you've read? If so, you are probably not practicing the art of "Active Reading." This article will introduce ways to start building good reading habits everytime we read:
Read everything twice (or three times if needed): The first time we read an article, we usually process basic information. When we read something for the second or third time, we develop a deeper understanding of the main ideas and details. This semester we will practice reading and re-reading.
Be strategic: Sometimes we are asked to read things we already know. Other times we are reading about topics that we know nothing about. Since most of our college classes require a significant amount of reading, we need to be strategic about what we ready. So, if you are familiar with a topic, you can try to quickly scan through the article. And similarly, if the ideas are completely new to us, we need to pay closer attention as we read.
Take notes and ask questions: Good college-level readers are in the habit of underlining important passages, taking notes in the columns, and stopping to ask questions. So, instead of reading something start-to-finish without stopping, we will practice getting in the habit of stopping after every 1-2 paragraphs to ask questions like what, who, where, when, why, and how? Asking these questions will help us to process the information we are reading, and to connect the article to other things we know about that subject.
Developing the habit of "Active Reading" will take time and practice; that's why we will focus on these strategies everytime we read!