1. Start by skimming through the article or section
of the book. In some cases, you may want to skim through the entire
book. Skimming allows you to get an overall picture of the information
in the book. If that's all you need, you can stop there. If you need
more detail, then go back and read the sections you need - even if it is
the whole book - in detail.
2. If you own
the book, then highlighting key sentences and facts is important. It
helps you to focus and remember those details. It also makes it easier
to find facts that you need when you need them later. Nothing is worse
than wanting a quote or fact in a 500 page book and not remembering
where it was! Highlighting makes it easy to quickly scan the pages for
the information you are looking for.
For highlighting to be effective, you have to be
selective. If you highlight everything, then it becomes useless. Pick
out the really important statements, interesting facts, or items you
know you will want to use later. If you can eliminate several words
from the sentence and still have the sentence make sense, go ahead and
only highlight the core sentence.
Highlighting
[or underlining, although highlighting is better] forces the mind is
concentrate on what it is reading. The mind is a marvel. It is amazing
how many things it can do, and a wandering mind can be a problem when
you are trying to absorb information. Highlighting helps the mind
focus. Your comprehension of the material will also increase with this
added effort.
3. If the margins are wide [and
you own the book], don't be afraid to jot down notes on the side. If you don't own the book, or if
you are making extensive notes, then have a notebook handy to record
your thoughts. It is always better to record them right away rather
than wait to later. Use just as much detail as you need to remind
yourself of your ideas.
4. When you need to
remember something, a good reading strategy is to read out loud if you
are in a place where you can. Hearing what you are reading gets your
mind going on another level, increases your involvement with the
material, and you will likely remember it better.
5. Be curious. Ask questions. Do you agree or disagree with the
author? Is there information you would like to know that wasn't
included? Why did he say it in that way? The more you involve your
mind, the more you will remember.
6. Be sure to
consider the context of what is being said. It is unfair to quote an
author out of context. Failure to pay attention to this reading
strategy has caused a lot of harm and misunderstanding. Depending on
the type of book you are reading, it may also be important to consider
the author's style and voice. Is he being serious or ironic? The same
sentence can have totally different meanings depending on context and
voice! Pay attention.
7. Finally, don't be
afraid to use glossaries and dictionaries for any words you don't know.
Don't guess. The extra time you invest will be rewarded by a richer
understanding of your topic.
NOTE: If you have
additional tips and ideas, please send them in. I would be happy to add
them to this page for the benefit of all.
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