Tips to Try Before You Read

Reading is a foundational learning activity for college-level courses. Assigned readings prepare you for note-taking during lectures and provide you with additional examples and detail that might not be covered in class.  Also, according to research, readings are the second most frequent source of exam questions (Cuseo, Fecas & Thompson, 2007).  

Reading a college textbook effectively takes practice and should be approached differently than reading a novel, comic book, magazine, or website. Becoming an effective reader goes beyond completing the reading in full or highlighting text. There are a variety of strategies you can use to retain the information you read. 

Man looking into the camera smiling while he has a textbook and laptop open in front of him

Tips to Try Before You Read

  1. Schedule time to read. It can be easy to prioritize other work over reading assignments. Avoid that by scheduling time within the week specifically dedicated to reading and remind yourself of the importance of that study activity.
  2. Create an ideal reading environment. Pick a location that allows you to stay alert and focused. Minimize distractions and avoid relaxing seating where you may fall asleep. Bring the supplies you need (pen, paper, etc.) but leave behind or set aside the items that will distract you.
  3. Establish the purpose of the reading. Clarify for yourself why you are doing the reading – why was it assigned by the instructor and what should you be taking away from it? How closely do you need to read? Is it more important to organize big concepts, or take notes on the details? 
  4. Choose a reading strategy. Adopt a specific reading strategy (Preview, Read, Recall or SQ3R) to guide your approach to reading and provide a structure that can help you get the most out of your reading.  
  5. Survey the reading. Survey the entire reading quickly, gathering information about how long it is, how it’s organized, and the sections that might be particularly useful to focus on.
  6. Set a goal. Identify what you hope to accomplish during the study session and write it down – that can be a number of pages, and amount of time spent, or a certain amount of notes take.