Reading, Rate, Recall

When it comes to our personal growth, culture and development, literacy is one of the most important skills. As a learner in higher education, you will need a wide range of literacy skills to achieve your goals both as a learner and professional. Whether you are reading content online or by print, how effective you are at reading will be a factor in your success as a learner. As part of being successful, it is important to consider how fast (rate) you read and how much you can remember (recall) afterward. The tips and resources provided are designed to help you be successful in your higher education journey.

Tips:

Don’t Read In Bed

Reading in bed can cause eye strain and also cue the body to relax, making it difficult for you to concentrate.

Choose the best place to read. Consider your learning style and choose the right environment. What noise level can you tolerate? Is there good lighting? Consider these three factors: location, atmosphere and distractions.

Identify What You Are Looking For

If you have a specific idea of what you need to find, scan the text to find that keyword.

Don’t waste time on reading the whole text.

Don’t Highlight

By highlighting, you’re just putting a visual memo saying this bit of information is important. You actually don’t retain the information you highlighted.

Read In Chunks

Read several words at a time. You are still able to process and comprehend what you read, but spend far less time doing it.

Ask Questions

Look for the main points the author of the text is trying to make. Ask yourself if the main ideas of the text are supported with evidence and if the evidence is logical and reliable. Look for any holes in the ideas presented, and don’t be afraid to challenge ideas you don’t agree with.

Take Notes

Keep a notebook nearby and jot down thoughts and brief notes to help you process your reading.

Paraphrase what you’ve read. After reading, summarize what you’ve read in your own words. Summarizing will help you pull out main ideas and take better notes.

Resources:

General Reading Improvement