How to Read a Textbook The mark of

How to Read a Textbook ¡ “The mark of a successful college student is the mastery of knowing not only what to study but how to study it”

How Should You Tackle Your Reading Get the right information from your reading ¡ Retain that information as long as you can ¡ Reduce your study time ¡

Why Are You Doing This Reading ¡ ¡ How are you going to be assessed on this reading Multiple Choice l l ¡ Essay l l ¡ ¡ You will want to focus on the details of your reading assignments Take smart concise notes and turning them into questions Thorough knowledge of the main ideas are important Focus on summarization and making sure you can put it in your own words Evaluation of Data in Labs Summary for reports

Gauge The Requirements of Your Classes and Apply Them to Your Readings Be mindful of the syllabus. It will give you clues to what is important. ¡ What is the professor going to use to assess you. ¡ Don’t read your text like a newspaper ¡ Your not reading for pleasure. Your reading for application of what you read ¡

Reading for Application ¡ ¡ ¡ You are not going to learn by reading and re-reading over and over again “How often you read is immaterial; how you read is crucial. ” Try to read like you would talk to a friend who challenges you intellectually. Listen eagerly, contribute in your own words to the conversation, eventually both of you come to create information that is new. Do the same but collaborate with the book like you would with your friend. THIS IS ACTIVE READING

Create Two Different Habits ¡ 1. Read consistently l l l ¡ Read everyday. Do this by planning your reading assighnments for the week It’s all about creating a habit of reading everyday 2. Start using active reading instead of passive reading l l l Start by writing a small amount of notes for each reading session Create a small summary for each reading Get in the habit of doing this to become more actively involved in your reading

Input Versus Output Based Habits ¡ Input based habits have a fixed amount of effort to be put into them. l ¡ Output based habits l ¡ Read for 15 – 25 minutes and your done Based on making something concrete such as writing one page of notes and the time is not fixed Do both and give yourself a fun reward to reinforce this reading habit