General Reading Comprehension Tips
Put yourself in a position to succeed. Find a space where you will be able to focus—this can be in the library, Davies Student Center, a coffee shop in town, your dorm, or any number of places. Avoid reading for class while lying in bed, as it can lead to unplanned naps. Sitting upright is best. Some students prefer quiet, others find that a white noise app or instrumental music can help them focus.
Skim the reading beforehand. Students process information better when they can see the big picture. Before diving into the details of a reading, review the topics that will be covered and how the reading is organized. If there are review questions at the end of the reading, make note of those as they will guide you toward the key points.
Think about why your instructor assigned the reading. Is the reading a routine textbook assignment that is meant to preview material you will learn about in lecture? Is the reading preparing you for an in-class discussion? Are you writing a paper about the reading? Think about the reason you are reading the material and what you need to get out of the assignment. This will help you prioritize the information and stay focused.
Plan your reading. How long is the reading assignment?
- If it is a thirty-page textbook chapter or twenty-page scholarly article, you should consider breaking the assignment into two or three reading sessions. Breaking up the assignment and taking good notes will allow you to follow the information more effectively. Be sure to reread the notes you took from the previous session before jumping back into the reading.
- Are you reading an entire book? Get out a calendar and plan for when you will read each chapter so that you can prepare and submit your assignment on time.
Don’t rely on highlighting. Highlighting can seem helpful in the moment, but if you highlight too many things in a reading it is not clear what is significant. If you plan to highlight a text, be sure to read a page before highlighting anything on the page and then only highlight key terms and phrases that support those ideas.
As you read, write down notes, questions, and reactions. Try to finish reading a page or section before taking notes, this will help you recognize what is worth writing down. Take some time and try to summarize the point that was made on a particular page or section. As you read, keep a record of your thoughts. Did you find a passage particularly helpful in explaining a concept? Note the paragraph location and include the page number. Will a specific point be useful when you write an essay about the reading? Write down the page number, a quote, and your analysis.
- Taking good notes will help you:
- process and understand the reading
- stay focused and engaged while reading
- keep a record of what you read and the page numbers for specific information
Use a system to keep your notes organized. At a minimum, writing down the author and title of the reading as well as the date you are taking notes can be helpful. Using a digital program like OneNote or Evernote allows you to organize detailed notes for a variety of topics and classes.
Visit your professor’s office hours. Your instructor has hours each week where students can visit their office and ask questions. This is a good opportunity to talk to the professor about a reading and ask some questions. Be sure to write the professor’s office hours in your planner.
