Transcript READING How to comprehend, retain and complete assignments

READING
How to comprehend, retain
and complete assignments
better and faster
Knowing how to read can come
in handy….
IT SAYS
“YOU GO
FIRST,
DAVE.”
IN
HOLD
OUT
GET IT
EXPOSURE
I finished
most (skimmed) or ALL
pages of reading
Books are very $$$$*
so get your
worth
*Average price of a year’s worth
of textbooks is $900
ATTENTION
I was concentrating
TURN ON YOUR
RADAR!
I allowed enough time
to really get it
IMPORTANCE!!
I decided correctly
which material was
worth getting
IMPORTANCE
…and
might show
up on tests
KEEP IT
IMPORTANCE!!
I decided correctly it
was worth keeping…
IMPORTANCE
and will show
up on tests
…
TIMING
I didn’t underestimate
the time needed
TIMING
I started early enough
so I could keep
enough
ORGANIZATION
I was detailed enough
(facts, events, statistics,
names, dates, theories…)
ORGANIZATION
An general enough
(overviews, summaries,
trends…)
“enough”: The “Goldilocks”
Problem:
NOT TOO MUCH…
not too little…
ORGANIZATION
I made connections
(among text lessons,
lectures and class
discussion, and lab
exercises…)
SHOW IT
through
TESTS
PAPERS
PROJECTS
PRESENTATIONS
class participation…
Am I getting it?
Or not???!!
POSITIVE &
NEGATIVE
COMPREHENSION
SIGNS
The following are
+
(positive) and
x (negative)
signs
that you’re
“getting” it:
+ If you understand
why the material
was assigned.
syllabus
x If you can't figure
out why the
material was
assigned or explain
why it's important.
+ If you can see
where the author is
going.
x If you feel as if
you are struggling
to follow the author
and can't predict
what will come
next.
+ If everything
seems to fit and
make sense – the
ideas flow logically.
x If some pieces
do not seem to
belong-the material
seems disjointed.
+ If you can make
connections among
ideas.
x If you can't
detect relationships
- the organization is
not apparent.
+ If you can identify
what's important.
x Nothing(!) seems
important or
Everything(!) seems
important.
+ If you feel
comfortable with
and/or have some
knowledge of the
topic.
x If the topic
is unfamiliar but the
author assumes you
understand it.
+ If you can
express the main
ideas in your own
words
x If you have to
reread and use the
author's language
to explain an idea.
+ If you can read at
a regular,
comfortable pace.
x If you often have
to slow down or
reread.
+ If you recognize
most of the words
or can figure them
out from context.
x If many words
are unfamiliar.
Finally, reading is
an unusual and
challenging
mental activity:
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch
at Cmabridge Uinervtisy,
it deosn’t mttaer in what
oredr the ltteers
in a wrod are!
The olny imprmoetnt
tihng is that the frist and
lsat ltteer be in the rghit
pclae.
This is bcuseae the huamn
mnid deos not raed errvey
lteter
by istlef, but the
wrod as a wlohe.
When your
textbook is a
STRUGGLE
1. Look for essential words
If you’re stuck on a paragraph,
mentally cross out all the
adjectives, prepositional phrases,
and adverbs, and read the
sentence
without them.
 Concentrate on the significant
words, usually verbs and nouns.
2. Read it aloud
Even though this slows you down
to the rate of speech, it’s alive and
active.
Read a passage aloud several
times, each time using a different
inflection, emphasizing a different
part of the sentence.
 Be loud and animated.
3. Read it again, later
If you read an assignment and are
completely lost,
don’t despair.
 After reading, leave it alone.
 Sleep on it. Your mind will work
on those concepts while you slack
off. When you return to the
assignment, you should see it with
fresh eyes.
4. Use an alternate text
Read another book?!!!
Well, sometimes the same concept
can be understood better if you find it
expressed another way.
 Maybe a GRE, SAT, AP or GMAT
prep book in the subject would
condense or explain better.
5. Hold a mini-review
Stop at the end of each paragraph,
section or page and recite
- in your own words –
what you have read.
 Or write a short summary,
possibly in the margin of the text.
6. Try to explain or teach It
We often understand more than
we think we do.
 To get in touch with this ability,
pretend it's clear as a bell and
explain it to yourself, your study
group or some other victim.
 Write out your explanation as a
potential essay question.
7. Stand up!
Try standing when you read, especially
if you get stuck on a tough passage
and decide to read it aloud.
 Sometimes hearing the words
makes them more understandable, and
pacing back and forth can help to
focus concentration.
8. Use your instructor
Most teachers welcome the
opportunity to work individually with
students, which is why
they have office hours…
 Be very specific
about your confusion.
 Point out the paragraphs that you
found
toughest to understand
9. Find a tutor
CUA peer tutors are
students who were in
your position not long ago
and might even have had your
professor and/or your text.
 Tutors can give you a first-hand
approach to a course and look at your
situation
from a student perspective.