1. Getting the Most from Reading
Nichelle Puder
Composition I/Composition II
Houston Community College System

2. Getting More Out of Reading (Before You Read)
1st – Have Your Tools
Pencil
Highlighter
Attitude
Curious
Questioning
Investigative
(Don’t Accept Everything You Read As The Truth)

3. Preview (Before You Read A Textbook)
Analyze the Purpose of the Reading Assignment
Adjust Reading Speed to Suit Information Purpose
Read the Title and Subtitles
Write Questions About the Text
Turn Major Headings into Questions.
Using Questions that begin with What, Why, or How are Most Useful

4. Preview (Before You Read A Textbook
Read the Introduction or the First Paragraph
Read Bold or Italicized Text
Read the Sentence Under Each Heading
If a Heading Is Not Given, Read the First Sentence of Each of a Few Paragraphs on Each Page
Identify Graphics (Charts, Maps, Photographs)
Read the Summary

5. While You Read a Textbook
Predict What Will Happen Next
Visualize What Is Happening
Answer Your Questions
Monitor Your Understanding – Metacognition
Consult Another Source
Summarize Sections
Determine Meaning of Unknown Words

6. Continued (During Reading)
2nd – Engaging the Text
Highlighting the Text Carefully
3rd – Annotating
Comments in the Margin

7. Preview (Before You Read)
Article
Literary Work
Author and Publication Facts
The Title
Headings and Subheadings
1st and Last Paragraph to Skim
The Thesis/Main Idea
Support for Thesis/Main Idea
Purpose/Theme
Characters
Plot
Setting
Point-of-View
Symbols
Style/Tone

8. While You Read A Literary Work or Article
The Thesis or Theme
Support of Thesis or Theme
Patterns of Organization
Paragraph Indications
Transitional Expressions
Unfamiliar Words

9. Review (After You Read a Textbook, Literary Work, or Article)
Review What You Read
Reflect on the Reading
Make Connections and Comparisons
React to the Text
Literary Work or Article
Reflect on Highlighted and Annotated Sentences and Passages
Be Open To Reading It Again

10. When Problems Occur When Reading
Analyze the Time and Place Where You Are Reading
Rephrase Each Paragraph In Your Own Words
Read Aloud Sentences/Sections of Difficulty
Reread Difficult/Complicated Sections
Slow Down Reading Rate
Write a Brief Outline of Major Points
Highlight Key Ideas

11. Making Sense of Unfamiliar Words (During and After Reading)
Pronounce the Word
Try to Figure Out the Word From Its Context – Words and Sentences Around the Unfamiliar Word
Look for Parts of the Word that are Familiar
Mark It and Keep Reading Unless the Sentence Does Not Make Sense Without Looking It Up
Record Unfamiliar Words in Vocabulary Log Notebook or Word File