At its heart, effective reading is a goal-oriented activity. Before diving into a text, a proficient reader asks: "Why am I reading this?" Is it to understand a complex concept for an exam? To find specific data for a report? To enjoy a story? Or to gain a general overview of a topic? Defining the purpose dictates, the reading strategy. For instance, skimming might be appropriate for a general overview, while close reading and annotation are essential for deep comprehension and critical analysis. This initial strategic thinking saves time and optimizes the learning outcome.
Effective Reading Strategies:
While at university you will be expected to undertake the reading of academic texts. However, you will not be expected to read all books from start to finish, so to make use of your time more efficiently, you will need to be selective about your reading. So in this article we will provide you with some tips and tricks for effective reading, divided into seven strategies and a sample lesson plan to teach each one.
- Define Your Purpose
Before you even start, ask yourself: "Why am I reading this?" Are you scanning for a specific fact, seeking a general overview, or aiming for deep understanding of a complex topic? Your purpose dictates your reading speed and strategy. Skimming is great for general ideas, while close reading is essential for detailed analysis.
- Preview the Material (Survey)
Don't just dive in. Take a few minutes to survey the text first. Look at the title, headings, subheadings, introduction, conclusion, bolded terms, and any accompanying visuals like charts or graphs. This pre-reading step activates your prior knowledge and provides a mental roadmap, helping you anticipate the content and overall structure.
- Engage Actively (Question & Read)
Passive reading often leads to poor retention. Instead, engage actively with the text. Turn headings into questions you expect the text to answer. As you read, actively search for those answers. Highlight key ideas sparingly, and make brief annotations in the margins to summarize paragraphs, pose questions, or connect ideas. This forces deeper cognitive processing.
- Monitor Comprehension
Throughout your reading, continuously check your understanding. If a paragraph or sentence doesn't make sense, pause. Reread it, look up unfamiliar words, or try to rephrase it in your own words. Don't move on until you grasp the meaning; otherwise, you'll build understanding on a shaky foundation.
- Identify Main Ideas and Supporting Details
As you progress, focus on distinguishing between the author's primary arguments and the evidence, examples, or explanations used to support them. Understanding this hierarchy of information helps you filter out less crucial details and focus on the core message of each section.
- Summarize and Synthesize (Recite & Review)
After reading a section or the entire text, take time to summarize what you've learned in your own words. You can do this mentally, verbally, or by writing brief notes. Connect new information to what you already know. Review your notes and highlights shortly after reading and periodically thereafter to solidify long-term retention.
- Limit Distractions
Finally, create an optimal reading environment. Minimize interruptions from technology, noise, and other people. A focused mind is crucial for deep comprehension and efficient reading. Even a few minutes of undistracted reading can be far more productive than a longer period filled with interruptions.
Reading styles:
while reading is a singular act, how we approach a text can vary greatly depending on our purpose. Different "reading styles" or strategies allow us to optimize our effort and extract the most relevant information. Here are the main types of reading
Skimming:
In order to decide which sources are going to be most useful, it is important to get the ‘gist’ of the it, without having to read the whole thing from beginning to end. Skimming through a book allows you to gain a general sense of the text. Look at the index, contents page, headings of chapters and sub-headings to give you an idea if the information you are looking for could be contained within the text. Reading the first and last paragraphs and looking at any diagrams or pictures will offer more clues. This should give you an idea which chapters/sections to read and which are not so appropriate.
Scanning
This technique can be used to look for specific information, such as names, dates or to answer a question. Whereas skimming can give you the general drift of the text, scanning is useful to locate certain phrases or topics to see if that particular area addresses your requirements.
Extensive Reading
Extensive reading is a technique which can be used to confirm knowledge. It is similar to skim reading as you can progress quickly, but usually because the material is more familiar. You will not have to read every single word or paragraph as you half read and half fill in using your memory to fill the gaps.
Intensive Reading
Once you have located an article or a section within a book, you may then decide to read the chapter/section in full. You may need to work your way carefully through the author’s to gain a full understanding. This process may take time and if the text is very detailed, then it may need to be re-read for clarity.
Critical Reading
Critical reading requires gaining a complete understanding of a text (like intensive reading)
but it means weighing up the arguments and evidence both for and against. Critical reading
takes time and involves identifying and evaluating the ideas put forward by the author and
considering how these ideas fit with other authors in the same field.
In conclusion, effective reading is a skill that goes far beyond basic literacy. It is a strategic process involving purpose-setting, active engagement with the text through previewing and annotation, critical evaluation, continuous vocabulary building, and post-reading reflection.
