I’m curious to know of any tips that might improve reading comprehension.
I’m currently in college and have been reading a lot more then I used to, but I believe I could improve my comprehension rate. I’d be most interested in any tips that will help me get through reading material which is not from a modern writer (i.e. Plato, Aristotle, Kant).
Any general reading/comprehension tips will also be greatly appreciated!
cut out any background noise as much as possible
some times reading out loud helps make a better impression for your memory
make notes in the margins of the book rather than simply underlining or highlighting
do not read this material when you are tired
morning may be better than late night
Best wishes.
There is no reason to improve your comprehension RATE.
Some writers will come easier to you then others.
Books that interst you will always go smoother..
if you take a speed reading class, you may regret it.
What you’re reading will improve your comprehensionn. Just keep plugging away and you’ll start to catch more on the first reading and read more quickly. Its hard when you’re first exposed to it.
Here are a few reading strategies that may be of benefit. Go to the link below for more suggestions.
Read early in the day: This will allow you to concentrate and retain more information than studying later at night when you may be tired. When tired, your concentration and comprehension will decrease.
Read for short bursts: Try to read for 35 to 40 minutes at a time and then take a short break. If you have this as your reading goal it can serve as a motivator in trying to really focus on the material at hand. Try to make these “bursts” quality reading time.
Find a quiet location: Try to avoid your residence hall room on campus as well as the lounge. There are too many distractions there that are not conducive for quality reading.
Monitor your comprehension: Ask yourself every once in a while, “What have I learned?” If you are having trouble answering this, then re-read the material, ask a classmate, or ask the professor for some clarification.
Try skimming the chapter first: Take a look at the title page, preface, subtitles, the introduction and the chapter summary before reading the entire chapter.
College Textbooks are designed to help you by providing…
MAJOR HEADINGS
Italicized/Bold Words
List of Main Points
Repetition of information/facts
Summaries
IMPROVE YOUR READING BY BEING A MORE “ACTIVE READER”:
Method One: SQ3R Method (Cornell Method)
Survey: Look over the chapter and get an idea of what it will cover. This will cognitively ease your way into the reading assignment.
Question: Think about, “what is this chapter about?” and “what examples support the author’s point in the chapter?”
Read: Go over the material carefully and if you have any questions with vocabulary or concepts write them down and review them after you finish that particular section. Continue assessing your reading to see if you are understanding the material.
Review: This is an extremely important point. Try to do this a couple of times each week. By reviewing, you will begin to see the larger picture of the main concepts introduced. Think of this as an athlete or a musician who continues to practice and becomes better and better during his/her performances. The more you review the material (i.e., “practice”) the better your understanding will be of that topic because you are “exercising” your brain.
Recite: Practice by saying aloud the material you are reviewing. This helps immensely because you are utilizing both hemispheres of your brain.
Practice the language they use. Their language is far different from the English we speak today. So, if you could better understand the language, by reading the pages maybe 2-3 times, your comprehension will improve a good amount.