students fail to realize is that you can improve your reading skills. Doing so pays big rewards, because better reading will improve your performance in just about every subject. All readers — not just those that don’t like to read or aren’t good readers — should look for ways to develop their reading skills. There is always room for improvement. This section includes some key ways to make reading easier and more effective for you.


Many of your readings will be from a textbook, but you may also have reading assignments that consist of articles, Web site information, newspaper stories, and other non-literature selections. The following sections discuss some strategies for approaching reading assignments from a textbook or similar source. See the “Reading Literature” section later in this chapter for strategies for approaching literary reading.
Previewing the Reading

Before you begin reading, take some time to quickly look at the material and note what type of information the reading contains, how it’s organized, whether it includes illustrations, and any other details.

A textbook usually provides several layers of meaning and is organized to help you make sense of the information. Usually, the textbook designer and author(s) have created special features to help facilitate learning. (Similarly, this book includes sidebars as extra information you can apply.) Likewise, an article usually has a title and may also include a subtitle, section headings, and illustrations.

When you preview the reading, do the following:
Skim through the pages. The length should give you some idea of how much time you need to read the selection. Also, as you skim, note the different types of information. Are there figures? Illustrations? Margin notes? Review questions? Note the difficulty of the reading assignment.
In a textbook, look at the Table of Contents to get a sense of what you’re reading about. When looking at the Table of Contents, also note how the information is organized, so that you have a sense of how the information is related. Most commonly, writers follow an outline with major headings, and then include minor headings within the major headings. (In more complex books, you may find several layers of headings within sections.) Use this structure to keep in mind an overview of the information, to see how ideas are related, and to develop an outline for your reading notes.
Read the introduction. The introduction usually gives you a snapshot or overview of the chapter or article. Also, some textbook chapters list objectives or topics so that you can see in a quick-list format what subjects are covered and what you’re expected to be able to do after completing the chapter or lesson.
Note any words or phrases that are in bold or italics. These are usually terms or concepts that are defined and are usually important to the information within that paragraph.
Look at each illustration and read the caption. The old saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words” is true. Think, for example, about trying to describe the solar system in words versus showing a graphic illustration of the planets and their orbits. Illustrations can be maps, charts, drawings, photographs, and other visual elements. When looking at each illustration, ask yourself what value it adds. Does the illustration just add some extra information? Or is the illustration critical to understanding the subject? Usually, the illustration has a purpose, but sometimes, visual elements are included only to break up the text. For example, if you’re studying Africa and see a picture of a lion, that picture may just be for interest or it may be used to illustrate the wildlife of a particular country.
Look at the end of the chapter or article for a summary. Chapters often include a summary section, outlining the key points of the chapter. An article may summarize the main points in the last paragraph.
For textbook readings, look also for summary or review questions. Read these to get an idea of what the authors and your instructor think are important ideas. Also use these questions to study for tests. The questions give you some idea of what you should know and be able to answer after completing the reading assignment.