1. Effective Reading Deana St. Peter GTCC

2. Why do we read? For entertainment For information For evaluation Each of these purposes requires a different approach!

3. College reading requires more attention than pleasure reading! Oftentimes, you will find yourself with many chapters or selections to read and little time in which to read them. This can produce stress, especially when you know your professors will keep assigning more!

4. Before you read... If the selection has preview questions or explanatory information, read that first Read any information provided about the author and try to place the article in a context—who was the intended audience? When was it written? What was the writer’s original purpose?

5. Next, skim the selection... What does the title tell you? What do you expect from reading it? Note any divisions in the selection— headings or subheadings Look for the author’s main point (the thesis) and sub-points (topic sentences)

6. Then, read for comprehension: This is not a passive process! Pick up a pencil, pen, or highlighter Underline key points Circle important terms or those you need to define Ask questions in the margins Note any important facts or information in the margins

7. Yes, that’s right, you need to WRITE IN YOUR BOOK! buy YOU Unlike library books or high school textbooks, you buy your college books. They belong to YOU! One reason for this is professors EXPECT you to mark in them. (The college bookstore will buy back books that have marks in them!)

8. So, get in the habit of reading with a pen or pencil in your hand! For effective reading to take place, this is crucial! Develop the habit of asking questions about anything in the essay. A good writer has anticipated your questions and should answer them. If you don’t find answers to your questions in the text, there may be problems with the work.

9. When you encounter words you don’t know... Try to figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word by looking at its context—its relationship to the words and sentences around it Look it up in a dictionary and write the definition in the margin or another safe place You may need to reread the material after you become more familiar with the words

10. When you finish reading the selection... Write a summary—restate the main points and sub-points in your own words, omitting the supporting details If you have trouble understanding a selection, try outlining it If you are having a test on the material, reread it in the day or two before the test

11. Reading to Critique In college, you will read not only to understand but to judge—your instructors will want to know what you think about the material you read! For each major point you encounter, ask “Why does the writer think this?” Analyze the writer’s tone, audience, bias, support, logic, values, and attitude!

12. Don’t believe everything you read! Just because something is in print doesn’t mean it is true or accurate! For example, an essay might include faulty logic, unreasonable ideas, suspect facts, or unreliable authorities. Don’t hesitate to dispute a writer’s information if it doesn’t agree with something you know, if the evidence doesn’t support what is being said, or if it seems unethical or unreasonable.

13. Finally, remember to read as a writer! Reading broadens our minds! It exposes us to more than new ideas— it expands our vocabularies and shows us new ways of crafting a sentence or beginning an essay or developing an idea! Paying attention to a writer’s techniques can teach you what works (and sometimes what doesn’t!).

14. Look at the writer’s strategies! Where does a writer use stories or anecdotes (narration)? How does an author describe something? Where does the author explain a process? When does he or she provide evidence? How does the writer analyze causes or effects? Where does he or she provide definitions or examples?

15. College reading won’t always be easy, but if you follow these guidelines, you will make the most of your time doing it!

16. The End!