How to Read for Better Comprehension Higher Learning

SQ3R Method for Thorough Study

• Pace i: Survey
  • Skim through the volume and read topical/sub-topical headings and sentences. Read summaries at the end of chapters and books. Endeavour to anticipate what the author is going to say. Write these notes on paper, so expect information technology over to get an overall idea.
• Step two: Questions
  • Plough paragraph headings into questions (e.grand. "Basic Concepts of Reading" to "What are the Bones Concepts of Reading?"). Write these questions out.
• Step 3: Read
  • Read with alertness to reply the questions you came up with. Write notes, in your own words, nether each question.
• Footstep iv: Recall
  • Without looking at your books or notes, mentally visualize, in your own words, the high points of the material immediately upon completing the reading
  • ** More time should be spent on recall than reading
• Step five: Review
  • Look at your questions, answers, notes and book to encounter how well you did recollect. Finish upwards with a mental picture of the WHOLE

Adapted from F.P. Robinson. Constructive Study. New York: Harper and Bros. 1948. Chapter II

Steps to Follow in Skimming for the Main Ideas

• Read the championship of the selection carefully. Decide what clues information technology gives you equally to what the option is almost. Sentinel for cardinal words like "causes," "results," "furnishings," etc., and practise non overlook signal words such as those suggesting controversy ("versus", "pros and cons"), which indicate that the author is planning to present both sides of an argument.
• Look carefully at the headings and other organizational clues. These tip you off to the main points that the author wants you lot to learn. You lot may be accustomed to overlooking boldface headings and titles which are the obvious clues to the nigh important ideas

Read&Write: Literacy Back up Tool

Read and Write is a literacy back up tool that offers help with everyday tasks like reading text out loud, agreement unfamiliar words, researching assignments, and proofing written work.

Features- at a glance

• Text-to-speech: Reads words, passages, or whole documents aloud with easy-to-follow dual color highlighting.

• Text & Flick Dictionaries:Provide definitions and display images to help with discussion comprehension.

• Vocabulary List: Creates a list instantly into a new medico, including selected words, the dictionary definitions, images from Widgit Symbols, and an editable notes column.

• Check It: Reviews writing for wrong grammar, spelling (phonetic), capitalization, punctuation, verb tense and more.

• Sound Maker: Converts selected text into an audio file, and automatically downloads.

• Talk&Blazon:Turns the spoken word into text

All Dartmouth students have gratis access to Read and Write.

Download Instructions:

Please review the information provided below for each platform, which includes video instructions for downloading and installing the program for your preferred platform. The condensed version is provided here:

Step 1: Navigate to the TextHelp Website, and choose the "Try Read & Write" push button, then choose your preferred platform.

Footstep 2:Once Read&Write is downloaded, you will be prompted to sign in via Google or Microsoft with your electronic mail credentials. You have to sign in with your Dartmouth e-mail in order to have full access to all the plan features. This is the merely fourth dimension you will be required to log-in.

Step 3: Additional tech support if needed.

Vary Your Reading Charge per unit

A few broad suggestions may assistance you lot to select your rate(s) inside the particular article:

Decrease speed when you find the post-obit:

1. An unfamiliar give-and-take not fabricated clear by the sentence. Endeavour to sympathize information technology from the way it'south used; then read on and render to it subsequently.
2. Long and uninvolved sentence and paragraph structure. Slow down plenty to enable you to untangle them and become an accurate thought of what the passage says.
3. Unfamiliar or abstract ideas. Look for applications or examples which will give them meaning. Need that an idea "make sense." Never give up until you lot sympathize, because it volition be that much easier the side by side fourth dimension. Find someone to assistance you lot if necessary.
4. Detailed, technical material. This includes complicated directions, abstruse principles, materials on which you have scant background.
5. Fabric on which yous want detailed retention. The key to memory is organization and recitation. Speed should not be a consideration here.

Increase speed when you find the following:

1. Simple fabric with few ideas new to you lot. Move speedily over the familiar.
2. Unnecessary examples and illustrations. These are included to clarify ideas. If not needed, move over them rapidly.
3. Detailed caption and elaboration which you do non need.
4. Broad, generalized ideas. These can exist apace grasped, even with browse techniques

Skip that material which is non suitable for your purpose. While the author may have thought particular information was relevant, his/her reason for writing was not necessarily the same as your reason for reading. Remember to go along your reading assail flexible.

Shift gears from choice to selection. Employ low gear when the going is steep; shift into high when you get to the smooth parts. Remember to arrange your charge per unit inside a given commodity according to the blazon of road you are traveling and to your purposes in traveling it. Most important, call up: Yous must practice these techniques until a flexible reading rate becomes second nature to you

The Pivotal Words

No words are as helpful while reading every bit the prepositions and conjunctions that guide your listen along the pathways of the author'southward ideas. Main these words and phrases and y'all will almost immediately become a better reader. Hither's what they are and what they say:

• Additive words: "Here's more than of the same coming upwards. It's just as important every bit what nosotros have already said."
  • Also, farther, moreover, and, furthermore, too, as well, in addition
• Equivalent words: "It does what I have just said, but it does this too."
  • Also equally, at the aforementioned time, similarly, equally important, too
• Amplification words: "I desire to be sure that you empathize my thought; so here's a specific instance."
  • For case (e.m.), specifically, as ,for instance, such as, like
• Alternative words: "Sometimes in that location is a choice; other times there isn't."
  • Either/or, other than, neither/nor, otherwise
• Repetitive words: "I said it once, simply I'm going to say it once again in instance you missed information technology the first time."
  • Again, in other words, to repeat, that is (i.eastward.)
• Contrast and Alter words: "Then far I've given you only one side of the story; now let's take a look at the other side."
  • But, on the contrary, still, conversely, on the other hand, though, despite, instead of, still, however, rather than, regardless, still, fifty-fifty though, whereas, in spite of, notwithstanding
• Cause and effect words: "All this has happened; at present I'll tell you why."
  • Appropriately, since, then, because, and then, thus, consequently, hence, therefore, for this reason
• Qualifying words: "Hither is what nosotros can expect. These are the conditions nosotros are working under."
  • If, although, unless, providing, whenever
• Concession words: "Okay! We concord on this much."
  • accepting the data, granted that, of class
• Emphasizing words: "Wake upward and accept observe!"
  • higher up all, more of import, indeed
• Gild words: "You lot keep your mind on reading: I'll keep the numbers straight."
  • Finally, second, then, get-go, next, last
• Time words: "Let'south keep the tape straight on who said what and especially when."
  • Afterwards, meanwhile, at present, before, later, presently, formerly, ultimately, previously, later
• Summarizing words: "We've said many things so far. Allow'southward stop hither and pull them together."
  • for these reasons, in brief, in conclusion, to sum upward

Additional Resources

murphyindes1973.blogspot.com

Source: https://students.dartmouth.edu/academic-skills/learning-resources/learning-strategies/reading-techniques

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