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Study skills > Module 4 > Page 9

 

Learning to read ... again

1. Effective reading involves:

• being selective about what you read
• using the appropriate technique for the task
• establishing your reasons for reading a particular text

Reading techniques

Scanning:

This is a rapid search for some important point such as a key word, date, page number or title. E.g.: locating a particular topic in an index.

Skimming:

This is similar to scanning in that it involves quick reading, but this is used to gain an overall impression of a text.

Reading for study:

This tends to be slower and repetitive and is in-depth reading for understanding. It is often preceded by skim reading.

Light reading:

This is the way people read most of the time when they are reading novels and have no need to digest the material or critically assess it. This type of reading is usually fast and superficial.

Word by word reading:

This is used for foreign languages, technical terms or scientific and mathematical formulae that are unfamiliar. e.g.: methoxyhaemoglobinaemia

SQ3R reading method:

S = Survey - a quick skim read to give an overview

Q = Question - establish the purpose of your reading.
• Why am I reading this?
• What am I looking for?

R = Read - a slower thorough reading aimed at understanding the content

R = Recall - write down or vocalise the main ideas of the text.

R = Revise/review - check the accuracy of your recall with the text.

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2. Using books

Books, journals, articles and handouts are key resources in higher education.

Lecturers make many recommendations about what students should read.

In addition, essay questions are usually accompanied by substantial reading lists containing ideas and information upon which essays can be based.

However, it is important to note that reading is expected to be selective. This selective approach can be applied to textbooks with particular advantage by following the steps set out below:

NB Always write down:

• the author
• full title
• date of publication of any source material and note all page numbers
• what is the topic/issue/question to which a given book is related? To help you to focus on this, translate the topic into keywords.
• skim read the introduction or preface to the book to gain a general impression of its contents and approach.
• read the contents page to see if any section of the book is linked to your topic and your key words.
• read and take notes from the relevant chapter(s).
• apply the same technique to the index by looking up key words and noting down relevant page references.
• look up page references, read and make relevant notes

 

3. Reading for comprehension

PSQ5R is a formula that stands for the basic steps in learning from reading in an efficient manner. The P stands for Purpose, the S for Survey, the Q for Question, the 5 R's for Read Selectively, Recite, Reduce-record, Reflect, and Review.

Purpose – read selectively

Why are you reading this article or chapter, and what do you want to get out of it? When you have accomplished your purpose, stop reading. For instance, your purpose in seeking a number in the telephone book is specific and clear, and once you find the number, you stop "reading." Such "reading" is very rapid indeed, perhaps 100,000 words a minute! Perhaps it should be called by its proper name, "scanning", but when it suits your purpose, it is fast and efficient. This principle, of first establishing your purpose, whether to get the Focus or Theme, or main ideas, or main facts or figures, or evidence, arguments and examples, or relations, or methods, can prompt you to use a reading method that gets what you want in the minimum time.

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Survey-skim

Glance over the main features of the piece, that is:

• the title
• the headings
• the lead and summary paragraphs

This will allow you to get an overview of the piece, to find out what ideas, problems and questions are being discussed.

In doing this you should find the Focus of the piece, that is, the central theme or subject, what it is all about; and perhaps the Perspective, that is, the approach or manner in which the author treats the theme. This survey should be carried out in no more than a minute or two.

Recite

Read to find the answers to your question. By reading the first sentence of each paragraph you may well get the answers.

Sometimes the text will "list" the answers by saying "The first point ... secondly ..." and so on.

In some cases you may have to read each paragraph carefully just to understand the next one, and to find the Focus or main idea buried in it.

In general, look for the ideas, information, evidence, etc., which will meet your purpose.

Reduce-record

Make a brief outline of the question and your answers.

The answers should be in key words or phrases, not long sentences.

For example, "Effects of 100 Yrs' War? - consolidate Fr. King's power, Engl. off continent". Or, "Unions on Wages? - Uncertain, maybe 10-15%

Reflect

Recent work in cognitive psychology indicates that comprehension and retention are increased when you "elaborate" new information. This is to reflect on it, to turn it this way and that, to compare and make categories, to relate one part with another, to connect it with your other knowledge and personal experience, and in general to organise and reorganise it.

This may be done in your mind's eye, and sometimes on paper. Sometimes you will at this point elaborate the outline of step 6, and perhaps reorganise it into a standard outline, a hierarchy, a table, a flow diagram, a map, or even a "doodle." Then you go through the same process, steps 3 to 7, with the next section, and so on.

Review

Survey your "reduced" notes of the paper or chapter to see them as a whole. This may suggest some kind of overall organisation that pulls it all together.

Then recite, using the questions or other cues as starters or stimuli for recall. This latter kind of recitation can be carried out in a few minutes, and should be done every week or two with important material.

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4. Tips for speed reading

As our eyes move across the page they make a series of jerky movements. Whenever they come to rest on a word that is called a fixation. Most people fixate once on each word across a line of print.

In order to make our speed increase we must take in more words with each fixation, rather than make our eyes move faster.

Try to avoid focusing on every word, but rather look at groups of 2 to 3 words. For instance, this sentence could be grouped in this manner: for instance / this sentence / could be grouped / in this manner

1. Work on vocabulary improvement. Familiarise yourself with new words so you don't get stuck on them when you read them again.
2. If you find yourself moving your lips when reading, force yourself to read faster by following (1.) above so that you can no longer move your lips.
3. Read more! 15 minutes a day of reading an average size novel equals 18 books a year at an average reading speed!
4. Determine your purpose before reading. If you only need main ideas, then allow yourself to skim the material. Don't feel you must read very word.
5. Spend a few minutes a day reading at a faster than comfortable rate (about 2 to 3 times faster than your normal speed). Use your hand or an index card to guide your eyes down the page. Then time yourself reading a few pages at your normal speed. You'll find that often your normal reading speed will increase after your skimming practice.
6. If you have poor concentration when reading, practice reading for only 5 - 10 minutes at a time and gradually increase this time.
7. There are several books on increasing reading speed available in most bookstores. If you are serious about increasing your rate you may want to work systematically through one of these books.

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