4B Ten Reading Strategies.docx - TEN READING STRATEGIES FOR...

TEN READING STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE
1. Personal Annotations
We all naturally make personal associations with our reading material. However, one person’s
associations are usually quite different from those of someone else. Recording the associations you make with
a reading selection lets you “own” the essay, so to speak. It allows you to connect the author’s ideas to your
own experiences. To perform this strategy, make notes in the margin that relate some of your specific
memories to the details in this essay. Be prepared to explain the connection between your notes and the facts
in the essay.
Example
But the reason I drive the two hundred miles year after year is the bookstore. The
building is tall, a beautiful pink brick. The sign says,
O. Brisky
Books
Old Used Rare
Bought and Sold
Out of Print Search Service
Even before you go inside, you can smell the old, used, and rare books . On sunny days, Mr.
Brisky arranges a collection of books on a table on the sidewalk. There are books in the
windows and stacks of books on the floor just inside the entrance. From an open back door
the misty green light of Micanopy shines into the dust. Tendrils of wisteria have crept in
through the doorway and are stealthily making their way toward the religion and philosophy
section.

2. Think Aloud
As we read and make meaning out of the author’s words, we put a string of words together on a literal
level, bring in any implications the author suggests, think about how the ideas relate to one another, and keep
the process going until the entire essay makes sense. These are focused thoughts that will help you process
the author’s writing. On another level, however, we also stray from the essay in a wide variety of ways—
thinking about chores we need to do, calls we forgot to return, and plans we are looking forward to on the
weekend. These are random ideas that are only loosely related to the reading. As you might suspect, focused
reading is the most productive, but you can teach yourself to apply even your random ideas toward a better
understanding of your reading material. To do this strategy, stop and “think aloud” about what is on your
mind throughout the text. Point out places that are confusing to you, connections that you make, specific
questions you have, related information you know, and personal experiences you associate with the text. In
this way, you are able to hear what your mind does (both focused and random) as you read.
Example
But the reason I drive the two hundred miles year after year [I don’t think I drive that
much for any reason all year long ] is the bookstore. [Really? What could be so great about a
bookstore? Sounds like more school work to me. ] The building is tall, a beautiful pink brick.