Reading Tips

q Read for comprehension rather than speed

q Read in small portions (this helps with focus)

q Look up words you do not understand

q Make notes as you read

o Highlight or underline [sparsely, and with care]

o Write questions as you go (e.g., on post-it notes)

o Use schematics, diagrams, timelines, charts, and other visual aids to illustrate concepts

o Tie the reading you just did to something that you know already (e.g., something you did previously in that same class, from some other class, or from general experience)

q Review what you�ve read later it to test comprehension

o If you took good notes, you should be able to look at your notes and describe the main point of the reading

o Pick a random sentence from the reading and ask yourself the following questions:

� Why did the author say this?

� What was the author trying to tell me in this part of the reading?

� What came before/after this?

q Read for facts and ideas (distill but avoid trivialization)