Effective Reading

Effective Reading

1. Reading actively promotes understanding, increase concentration, improves retention

2. Purpose of reading

   • To get the overview
   • Gather supporting evidence
   • Summarize
   • Understand material
   • Critique/evaluate
   • Leisure

3. Reading Strategies

   • Reflection: thinking about what you know about the subject before reading
   • Scanning/skimming: get the overview from heading, main words and illustration
   • Speed reading: can be improved by practice. However, not useful for depth reading
   • Ask questions: about the author, content, purpose, style.
   • Underlining: marking the text for note taking
   • Monitor/evaluate: self-review on what you get from the text.
   • SQ3R: for active reading. Able to understand the text.
     • Survey: preview of what you'll read. Give the idea of what to expect.
     • Questions: based on previous knowledge or chapter. Will make you concentrate and read critically.
     • Read
       • Conversational Reading
         • Take notes, use concept maps, write key ideas.
         • Answer questions as you read
         • Reread loudly part that's hard
         • Check new vocabulary
         • Use deep processing strategies
       • Understanding: looking for main ideas, relationships and identify underlying meaning
       • Memorise: use recitation, copying and mnemonics
     • Recall: describe the main idea and argument on your own words.
     • Review: self-examination by checking how well you have recalled the material.

4. Prioritising reading

   • Asks tutor the relevant part in the material
   • Alert for hints and clues
   • Ask fellow students
   • Ask seniors
   • Share out reading on what is useful
   • Note which books is regularly used for reference
   • Skim through and choose the recommended books