FIVE-STEP PROGRAM FOR QUICK,
EFFICIENT READING

 

I. PREPARE TO READ

• A. Set aside a portion of time to accomplish your reading task.
• B. Collect reading material, paper and pencil. and whatever will make you comfortable.
• C. Find a comfortable spot to read.
• D. If you can't seem to focus on your reading:
• 1. Relax and think about what is on your mind. The idea is not to solve other problems now or to actively resolve what is on your mind but to recognize the issue or concern and decide when, and possibly how, you will handle it.
• 2. Relax, close your eyes, and breathe deeply for a few minutes, Then think about why you are going to read the material in front of you. Imagine yourself focusing on reading and then completing your task.
• 3. If you still are unable to read, choose another time to do your reading.

II. OVERVIEW (2-3 minutes for a book, chapter, or article)

• A. Look at titles and subtitles while asking yourself what information these sections are likely to contain.
• B. Look briefly at charts and figures and relate them to subtitles.
• C. Keep in the back of your mind the questions: "Why am I reading this?" "What can I learn from this?"

III. PREVIEW (probably 3-5 minutes)

• A. Read the introduction actively; ask yourself questions such as: "What is the focus of this article?" "What are the three to five main points?" "How does this relate to my task and what I have previously read and learned?"
• B, Read the first sentence of each paragraph, getting a sense of the flow and development of the article/chapter, and underlined key phrases/ideas in these topic sentences.

IV. READ ACTIVELY

• A. Develop a simple shorthand scheme, For example:
• 1 underline: main points
• 2 underlines or parallel line next to I or more sentences:
• significant/interesting point
• D in margin (with or without notes): for discussion
• ? in margin (with or without notes): don"t understand or questionable
• Box around work or phrase: don't understand; needs to be looked up or thought about
• B. Underline key concepts and important points of development of key concepts.
• C. Mark areas significant or important to you.
• D. Mark areas you want to discuss.
• E. Write down your thoughts in the margins or on paper.
• F. Write down or mark words/phrases you don't understand; you can go back later if you wish to look them up.
• G. If you don't understand a paragraph, reread it before going on. Mark it for further thinking or discussion if you still don't understand it.
• H. Relate text to charts and figures.

V. RELATE WHAT YOU ARE READING TO WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW, DO THIS WHILE YOU ARE READING AND AFTERWARDS.