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With half a million copies in print, How to Read a Book is the best and most successful guide to reading comprehension for the general reader, completely rewritten and updated with new material. A CNN Book of the Week: “Explains not just why we should read books, but how we should read them.
- (6.6K)
- Mortimer J. Adler, Charles Van Doren
- Overview
- Make an overall reading goa
- Review the author, title, and synopsi
- Skim through the tex
- Read the end before diving into the intr
- Try selective reading for lengthy academic work
- Take notes while you rea
- Limit distractions while you rea
- Think about what you’ve rea
- Make personal connections to the materia
So, you want to learn how to get the most out of your reading experience. Reading effectively is a piece of cake whether you’re reading for school or fun. Not only will these tips help you retain and comprehend the information you're learning, but it makes the reading experience that much more enjoyable. In this article, we’ll break down some simple tricks you can try to get the most out of a text.
Establish reading goals before you start reading.
Take notes to help yourself comprehend the material.
Ask yourself questions before, during, and after reading to solidify the information in your mind.
Establish a comprehension goal before closely reading the text.
Think about why you need to understand the material in front of you—what is the end goal of reading? This goal can be about finding a specific solution to a problem, understanding the causes and effects of a certain event, or being able to define a new word or idea.
Jot down your goal in a notebook, so you can glance at it if you get stuck while reading.
, decide if you want to explain Dickens’ use of a certain plot device or enjoy Victorian fiction for the first time.
, consider whether you’d like to come away with actionable sales tactics or a general introduction to the topic of sales.
Also consider how much you want to read and if there’s a different comprehension goal for each section or passage.
Determine the genre and purpose to grasp a brief understanding.
Before you start reading, take a good look at the author and title. Read the back or inside panels of the book or the blurb at the start of an article. This information will give you an overall feeling for what’s to come—the genre, tone, author’s background, etc. Knowing what you’re about to read will help you get in the right mindset for that type of text.
Get a preview of what’s to come by flipping through the pages.
Once you have the basic idea of what you’re reading, scan through the table of contents and headers or flick through the pages.
Glance over any images, graphs, or illustrations. Spend about 3 to 5 seconds on each page, glancing over the text to see which keywords catch your eye.
See if you can identify any patterns or themes right off the bat.
Use CTRL+F on a computer or the “find in page” feature to search for keywords quickly.
Try turning the chapter and heading titles into questions. This way, when you read the text that follows, you can look for information that will answer that question.
Start with the concluding paragraph first to understand the main idea (s).
While starting at the end may feel counterintuitive, it can help you read more effectively because you’ll know what you need to comprehend. Textbooks and nonfiction books often feature a glossary, highlighted passages, and/or follow-up questions. Look closely at these sections as they’ll emphasize the big ideas and concepts you’ll be learning about.
Skim certain passages to get through informative text quickly.
Instead of reading each sentence word for word, jump to the passages that are the most relevant to your research and reading goal. Skim the topic sentences and concluding sentences of each paragraph. Read more closely when you come across a section that answers your questions or goes in-depth on the topic you’re curious about.
Scan the paragraphs for keywords that relate to your reading goals.
For instance, a keyword might be a year, place, name, or adjective
Before grabbing your notebook, wait until you’ve finished reading or skimming through a complete section or idea. Take a moment to summarize the main idea in your head first, and then write the main points and concepts. Be sure to include the page number and source you’re summarizing in your notes so that you can refer to the text later.
Try writing down a list of questions or a quick 1-sentence summary of the material.
Underline or highlight the main point or jot down notes in the margins if you own the book or printed article. Refrain from writing in a book from the library or a textbook rental company.
If your reading comprehension goal is to understand facts or vocab words, write the key term and its definition on a flashcard.
Settle down in a quiet spot to read.
Reading comprehension is all about focus, and if there are too many distractions, you won’t be able to fully process the material. Find a location that’s well lit, quiet, and secluded. Turn off or silence your electronic devices, so it’s just you and the reading.
Make sure you’re not hungry or sleepy before you start reading, as these feelings could distract you.
If you’re reading at school or in a public place, put on a pair of noise-canceling headphones, bring a snack with you, and search for a seat away from others.
Pause between main ideas to process the reading material.
Once you reach the end of a main idea, section, or chapter, take a few moments to let everything soak in before you get back to reading. Don’t be afraid to question the text and make your own assumptions. Identify the author’s bias, assess the evidence, and observe your immediate reactions.
Ask yourself whether you agree with the position that’s being presented or the direction of the plot.
Review your notes as you process everything. Jot down any new ideas or questions that came up.
Connect what you read to your existing knowledge or past experiences.
Rather than approaching the text as an isolated piece of writing, try to relate it to other things you’ve read. If a plot point reminded you of something from your own life, make a mental note of it. If you can connect the examples in the journal article with something you learned in class, jot down those similarities.
Learn how to read well using the four levels of reading framework by Mortimer Adler. Find out how to skim, read, analyze, and synthesize books on any subject.
- support@farnamstreetblog.com
Adler breaks reading into four levels with concrete strategies for each: inspectional reading to evaluate books quickly, analytical reading to grasp core arguments, and syntopical reading of multiple books for deep understanding.
- (25K)
- Paperback
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