This article was originally written for FirstGenerationStudent.com, now a part of ImFirst.org.
Part 2 of our Study Skills Series.
College reading doesn’t have to be waiting-for-paint-to-dry boring. In fact, it can be enlightening and even fun! However, before you cry foul as you labor over your first 60-page chapter on microbes, you may want to adjust your expectations. If you’re used to reading for pleasure or for basic information, use the following strategies to get more out of what you’re assigned to read. With a few key strategies, you’ll be able to develop your reading skills as a building block for your success.
Buy the Book
This is stating the obvious, but it’s worth saying first: It’s hard to read if you don’t have the required materials! Be sure that you obtain the books that your professor says you need for the course. Do this as soon as you can so that you can start the semester off right.
Action Step
Review your syllabus or ask your professors what materials are required and where you can purchase or borrow them. Do this no later than the first week of classes.
Carry the (Reading) Load
One of the biggest challenges that new students face is the heavy reading load that comes with taking courses. On a good week you may read fewer than 100 pages total. More realistically, you will read two or three times that each week, depending on what courses you are taking. In just one week, you may have a chapter in biology, two chapters and three articles in history and a novel in a literature class, as well as workbook pages to complete and textbook pages to read for a math course. That doesn’t include any research or online content that you may need to read as part of an assignment!
Action Step
Look at the course schedule in your syllabus for each class and count how many pages of reading you will need to complete each week. Then, schedule time on your calendar to complete the reading, breaking up large reading assignments into smaller chunks.
Read Actively and Critically
Reading actively means breaking down your reading assignment into parts, reviewing each part to look for clues as to what the reading is about and focusing on what you are reading so that you comprehend the information. To understand what you have read, you’ll need to give yourself adequate time and eliminate distractions so that you can concentrate. Reading critically means evaluating what you read and determining the information’s strengths and weaknesses.
Action Step
Skim your reading assignment first to get an idea of what it will be about. Then, read it slowly for comprehension. Look up unfamiliar words and highlight key phrases and ideas. Once you understand the reading, ask yourself questions such as “Do I agree with the author?” “Is anything missing?” and “Is the information presented well?” Join or start a study group for your class to discuss reading assignments to help you understand the material and get other students’ perspectives on it.
Read Like an Expert
Not all courses and reading assignments should be approached exactly the same way. For example, reading a math book will require different skills than reading a short story or play. Your goal should be to learn how experts in the field read. If you are taking a math course, pay attention to visual images of mathematical processes that are presented in the book. If you’re taking a literature course, pay attention to figurative language and symbolism. Reading in business classes may require that you read and understand case studies, while reading in a social science class may require that you understand theories and apply them to new situations.
Action Step
Learn the unwritten rules for reading in various subjects by looking for clues in your textbooks. The way the information is presented (in a visual format, for example) will give you hints as to what is important. And, ask the experts (your professors) how they would suggest that you read assignments.
Beat the Boredom
Your professors wish that all of the reading that they assigned was as exciting to you as it is to them—they really do! But we all know that sometimes we’ll be faced with reading that is a notch above paint drying on the excitement scale. This is not an excuse to put the book down and hope you can grasp the material in class. Your job is to find something interesting—and, yes, there is always something interesting—that will keep you motivated to finish it.
Action Step
When faced with a boring or challenging reading assignment, set a timer, read for 30 minutes, take an “eyeball” break and then repeat until you are finished. Finally, reward yourself for completing your reading by doing something fun.
Reading can be rewarding, especially when you’re learning new things that can help you complete your degree and get you closer to your career goal. Think of every reading assignment—no matter how long or how dry—as part of the path to your success.