Reading Strategies

Book Preview:

Read the Table of Contents to get oriented to the book content and the sequence of information presented.
Turn to the back and find the Glossary and Index.
Orient to what each provides.

Skim each paragraph. Highlight unknown words. Write unknown words on 3 x 5 index cards with definitions/formulas/properties.
Read all Bold information.
Make 3 x 5 index cards with more notes.

The acronym SQ4R stands for the six steps of reading comprehension: Survey, Question, Read, Reflect, Recite, and Review.
It is designed to help you study your textbook and apply reading and note-taking skills.
To learn more about SQ4R, please view this Effective Reading Video with SQ4R to help implement this strategy into your reading.

Break study time into short time segments. Start with 15 minutes. Set a timer. When the 15 minutes are up, note how much of that time you were actually focused on your reading. Set the timer for 15 minutes and begin again. After 45 minutes, take a 10-minute break where you move around and get the oxygen flowing.
Check the beginning and end of the chapter to see if the author has created a preview or summary. These are the most important points, and should be studied for the test.
Be actively involved in your reading. If you just read, you will have difficulty maintaining your focus. Begin by reading the chapter titles and subheadings. Turn each one of them into a question. Then look for the answers to your questions as you read. As you find the answers, write them down. Study these for the test.
Use different colors to highlight or underline important points and vocabulary.
Create an outline of the material by copying down the most important point in each paragraph. Study this for your test. Read each point out loud, cover it up, and repeat it.
Pay special attention to any information that is in boldfaced type.
Write notes in the outside margins.