1. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Chapter 1: Active Reading & Thinking Strategies Reading Across the Disciplines: College Reading and Beyond, 3/e Kathleen McWhorter

2. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers In this chapter you will learn how to:  Read actively  Preview  Activate your background knowledge  Check your comprehension  Strengthen your comprehension

3. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Active Readers...  Tailor their reading to suit each assignment.  Analyze the purpose of assignments.  Adjust speed according to purpose.  Compare and connect textbook material with lectures.  Skim and preview before reading.  Make sure they understand what they are reading as they go along.  Read with pencil in hand, highlighting, jotting notes, and marking key vocabulary.  Develop personalized strategies that are effective.

4. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Passive Readers...  Read all assignments the same way.  Read an assignment because it was assigned.  Read everything at the same speed.  Accept whatever is in print as true.  Study lecture notes and textbook separately.  Check the length of an assignment before reading.  Read until the assignment is completed.  Just read, not taking notes or highlighting.  Follow routine, standard methods. Read all assignments the same way.

5. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers How to Preview Reading Assignments  Read the title.  Check the author and source.  Read the introduction or the first paragraph.  Read boldfaced headings.  Read the first sentence after each major heading.  Note any typographical aids (letters, numbers).  Note graphic aids.  Read the summary or last paragraph.  Read the end-of-chapter material.

6. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Why Previewing Is Effective  Previewing helps you to make decisions about how you will approach the material.  Previewing puts your mind in gear and helps you start thinking about the subject.  Previewing gives you a mental outline of the chapter’s content.

7. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Activating Background Knowledge  Ask questions and try to answer them.  Draw on your own experience.  Brainstorm. Write down what comes to mind about the topic.

8. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers When You Lack Background Knowledge  Use the glossary and index to consult other sections of your text.  Obtain a more basic textbook to review the unknown concepts.  Consult reference materials such as dictionaries, and encyclopedias.  Ask your instructor to recommend additional sources.

9. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Positive Comprehension Signals  You have some knowledge of the topic.  You recognize most words or can figure them out from context.  You can express the main idea.  You understand why the material was assigned.  You read at a regular, comfortable pace.  You are able to make connections between ideas.  You are able to see where the author is heading.  You understand what is important.

10. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Negative Comprehension Signals  The topic is unfamiliar, yet the author assumes you understand it.  Many words are unfamiliar.  You must reread the main ideas.  You don’t know why the material was assigned.  You often slow down or reread.  You are unable to detect relationships.  You are unable to predict what will follow as you read.  Nothing (or everything) seems important.

11. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Strengthening Your Comprehension  Analyze the time and place in which you are reading. Check for distractions.  Paraphrase each paragraph in your own words.  Read difficult sentences or sections aloud.  Reread complicated sections.  Slow down your reading rate.

12. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Strengthening Your Comprehension  Write guide questions next to headings.  Outline the major points.  Highlight key ideas.  Write notes in the margin.  Determine if you lack background knowledge.

13. © 2006 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers Visit the Companion Website http://www.ablongman.com/mcwhorter