{"id":589,"date":"2016-02-26T21:00:49","date_gmt":"2016-02-26T21:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/lumencollegesuccess\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=589"},"modified":"2016-04-13T22:52:53","modified_gmt":"2016-04-13T22:52:53","slug":"reading-strategies","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/dmn-atcc-sandbox\/chapter\/reading-strategies\/","title":{"raw":"Reading Strategies","rendered":"Reading Strategies"},"content":{"raw":"<a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/04\/12210945\/3414054443_2bd47e12f7_b.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-982\"><img class=\"wp-image-982 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/04\/12210945\/3414054443_2bd47e12f7_b-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of two young women sitting on a rock. One is reading a book.\" width=\"701\" height=\"394\" \/><\/a>\r\n<blockquote>To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting. \u2014Edmund Burke, author and philosopher<\/blockquote>\r\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\nBy the end of this section, you will be able to:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify common types of reading tasks\u00a0assigned\u00a0in a college class<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Describe the purpose and instructor expectations of academic reading<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify effective reading strategies for academic texts: previewing, reading, summarizing, reviewing<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explore strategies for approaching specialized texts, such as math, and specialized platforms, such as online text<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify\u00a0vocabulary-building techniques to strengthen your reading comprehension<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Types of College Reading Materials<\/h2>\r\nAs a college student, you will eventually choose a major or focus of study. In your first year or so, though, you'll probably have to complete \"core\" or required classes in different subjects. For example, even if you plan to major in English, you may still have to take at least one science, history, and math class. These different academic disciplines (and the instructors who teach them)\u00a0can vary greatly in terms of the materials that students are assigned\u00a0to read. Not all college reading is the same. So, what types\u00a0can you expect to encounter?\r\n<h3>Textbooks<\/h3>\r\nProbably the most familiar reading material in college is the\u00a0<strong>textbook<\/strong>. These\u00a0are academic books, usually focused on one discipline,\u00a0and their primary purpose is to educate\u00a0readers\u00a0on a particular\u00a0subject\u2014\"Principles of Algebra,\" for example, or \"Introduction to Business.\" It's not uncommon for instructors to use one textbook as the primary\u00a0text for an entire\u00a0course. Instructors\u00a0typically\u00a0assign chapters as readings and may include any word problems or questions in the textbook, too.\r\n<h3>Articles<\/h3>\r\nInstructors may also\u00a0assign\u00a0<strong>academic articles<\/strong> or <strong>news articles<\/strong>. Academic articles are written by people who specialize in a particular field or subject, while news articles may\u00a0be from recent newspapers and magazines. For example, in a science class, you may be asked to read an academic article on the benefits of rainforest preservation, whereas\u00a0in a government class, you may\u00a0be asked to read an article summarizing a recent presidential debate. Instructors may have you read\u00a0the articles online or they may distribute copies in class or electronically.\r\n\r\nThe chief\u00a0difference between news and academic articles is the intended audience of the publication. News articles are mass media: They are written for a broad audience, and they are published in magazines and newspapers that are generally available for purchase at grocery stores or bookstores. They may also be available online. Academic articles, on the other hand, are usually\u00a0published in scholarly journals with fairly small circulations. \u00a0While you won't\u00a0be able to purchase individual journal issues from Barnes and Noble, public and school libraries do make these journal issues and individual articles available. \u00a0It's common to access academic articles through online databases hosted by\u00a0libraries.\r\n<h3>Literature\u00a0and Nonfiction Books<\/h3>\r\nInstructors use <strong>literature<\/strong>\u00a0and <strong>nonfiction books<\/strong> in their classes to teach students about different genres, events, time periods, and perspectives. For example, a\u00a0history instructor might ask\u00a0you to read the diary of a girl who lived during the Great Depression so you can learn what life was like back then. In an English class, your instructor might assign a series of short stories written during the 1960s by different American authors, so you can compare styles and thematic concerns.\r\n\r\nLiterature includes short stories, novels or novellas, graphic novels, drama, and poetry. Nonfiction works include creative nonfiction\u2014narrative stories told from real life\u2014as well as history, biography, and reference materials. Textbooks and scholarly articles are specific types of nonfiction; often their purpose is to instruct, whereas other forms of nonfiction be written to inform, to persuade, or to entertain.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/26211202\/4240056336_88670d07eb_z.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-597\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-597\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/26211202\/4240056336_88670d07eb_z.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of woman lying on grass, reading &quot;How Ottowa Spends 2009\u20132010&quot;\" width=\"500\" height=\"332\" \/><\/a>\r\n<h2>Purpose of Academic Reading<\/h2>\r\nCasual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged to do in their free time because it can be both\u00a0educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read resources that have particular value in the context of a course.\u00a0Why is academic reading beneficial?\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Information comes from reputable sources<\/strong>: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not all\u00a0are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an opinion or sell you something. Academic sources\u00a0such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles,\u00a0on the other hand, are usually written by experts in the field and have to\u00a0pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Learn how to form arguments<\/strong>: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you\u00a0to write a paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal\u00a0of the paper is to research a topic and develop an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position.\u00a0Since many\u00a0college reading assignments (especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you'll gain experience studying\u00a0their strategies and learning to emulate them.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Exposure to\u00a0different viewpoints<\/strong>: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked\u00a0to read a series of articles written by medical professionals and religious leaders\u00a0who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs\u00a0in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others' views differ from your own.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\r\n<h3>Activity: Describing the Purpose of Academic Reading<\/h3>\r\n<h4>Objective<\/h4>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Describe the purpose of academic reading and what an instructor might expect of you after reading<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h4>Directions<\/h4>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Review the main types of academic reading and the purpose of academic reading.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine you are an instructor for a class. This could be a class you are currently taking or one you would like to see offered.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify three academic readings\u00a0that you would assign to your students.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explain why you would assign these works\u00a0and what you would expect your students to learn or do after reading them.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Follow your instructor\u2019s guidelines for submitting assignments.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Reading Strategies for Academic Texts<\/h2>\r\nRecall from the Active Learning\u00a0section\u00a0that effective reading requires more engagement\u00a0than just reading the words on the\u00a0page. In order to learn and retain\u00a0what you read, it's a good idea to\u00a0do things\u00a0like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing\u00a0the following steps will get you up to speed:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Preview<\/strong>: You can gain insight from\u00a0an academic text before you even begin\u00a0the reading assignment. For example, if you are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can give you an initial idea of what you'll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it.\u00a0You can also start to make connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Read<\/strong>: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil\u00a0in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. \u00a0This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a personal connection with the subject matter.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Summarize<\/strong>: After you an read academic text, it's worth taking the time to write a short summary\u2014even if your instructor doesn't require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the reading is enormously beneficial: it not only\u00a0helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and review materials for exams and other writing assignments.<\/li>\r\n\t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Review<\/strong>: It always helps to revisit what you've read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it's a good idea to skim through them to identify the main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you've written.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nThe following video covers\u00a0additional active reading strategies readers can use\u00a0before, during, and after the reading process.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/faZF9x4A2Vs\r\n<h2>Reading Strategies for Specialized Texts and Online Resources<\/h2>\r\nIn college it's not uncommon to experience frustration with reading assignments from time to time. Because you're doing more reading on your own outside the classroom, and with less frequent contact with instructors than you had\u00a0in high school, it's possible you'll encounter readings that contain unfamiliar vocabulary or don't readily make sense. Different disciplines and subjects have different\u00a0writing conventions and styles, and it can take some practice to get to know them. For example, scientific articles follow\u00a0a very particular format and typically\u00a0contain the following sections: an abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussions. If you are used to reading\u00a0literary works, such as graphic novels or poetry, it can be disorienting to encounter these new forms of writing.\r\n\r\nBelow are some strategies for making different kinds of texts more approachable.\r\n<h3>Get to Know the\u00a0Conventions<\/h3>\r\nAcademic texts, like scientific studies and journal articles, may\u00a0have sections that are\u00a0new to you. If you're not sure what an \"abstract\" is, research it\u00a0online or ask your instructor. Understanding the meaning and purpose of such conventions is not only helpful for reading comprehension but for writing, too.\r\n<h3>Look up and Keep Track of Unfamiliar Terms and Phrases<\/h3>\r\nHave a good\u00a0college\u00a0dictionary such as Merriam-Webster handy (or find\u00a0it\u00a0online) when you read complex academic texts, so you can look up the meaning of unfamiliar\u00a0words and terms. Many textbooks also contain glossaries or \"key terms\" sections at the ends of chapters or the end of the book. If you can't find the words you're looking for in a standard\u00a0dictionary, you may need one specially written for a particular discipline. For example, a medical dictionary would be a good resource for a course in anatomy and physiology.\r\n\r\nIf you circle or underline terms and phrases that appear repeatedly, you'll have a visual reminder\u00a0to review and learn them. Repetition helps to lock in these new words and their meaning get them into\u00a0long-term memory, so the more you review them the more you'll understand and feel comfortable using them.\r\n<h3>Look for Main Ideas and Themes<\/h3>\r\nAs a college student, you are not expected to understand every single word or idea presented in a reading, especially if you haven't discussed it in class yet. However, you will get more out of discussions and feel more confident about asking questions if you can identify the main idea or thesis in a reading. The thesis statement can often (but not always) be found in the introductory paragraph, and it may\u00a0be introduced with a phrase like \"In this essay I argue that . . .\" Getting a handle on\u00a0the overall reason an author wrote something (\"to prove X\" or \"to explore Y,\" for instance) gives you a framework for understanding more of the details. It's also useful to keep track of any\u00a0themes you notice in the writing. A theme may\u00a0be a recurring idea, word, or image that strikes you as interesting or important: \"This story is about men working in a gloomy\u00a0factory, but the author keeps mentioning birds and bats and windows. Why is that??\"\r\n<h3>Get the Most of Online Reading<\/h3>\r\nReading online texts presents unique challenges for some students. For one thing, you can't readily\u00a0circle or underline key terms or passages on the screen with a pencil. For another, there can be many tempting distractions\u2014just a quick visit to amazon.com or Facebook.\r\n\r\nWhile there's no substitute for old-fashioned self-discipline, you can take advantage of the following tips to make online reading more efficient and effective:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Where possible, download the reading as a PDF, Word document, etc., so you can read it offline.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Get one of the apps that allow you to disable your social media sites for specified periods of time.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Adjust your screen to avoid glare and eye strain, and change the text font to be less distracting (for those essays written in Comic Sans).<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Install an annotation tool in your Web browser so you can highlight and make notes on online text. One to try is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/hypothes.is\/\" target=\"_blank\">hypothes.is<\/a>.\u00a0A low-tech option is to have a notebook handy to write in as you read.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h3>Look for Reputable Online Sources<\/h3>\r\nProfessors\u00a0tend to assign reading from reputable\u00a0print and online sources, so you\u00a0can feel comfortable referencing such sources\u00a0in class and for writing assignments. If you are looking for online sources independently, however,\u00a0devote some time and energy to critically evaluating the quality of the source before spending\u00a0time reading any resources you find there. Find out what you can about the author (if one is listed), the Web site, and any affiliated sponsors it may have. Check that the information is current and accurate against similar information on other pages.\u00a0Depending on what you are researching, sites that end in \".edu\" (indicating an \"education\" site such as a college, university, or other academic institution) tend to be more reliable than \".com\" sites.\r\n<h3>Pay Attention to Visual Information<\/h3>\r\nImages in textbooks or journals usually contain valuable information to help you more deeply grasp a topic. \u00a0Graphs and charts, for instance, help show the relationship between different kinds of information or data\u2014how a population changes over time, how a virus spreads through a population, etc.\r\n\r\nData-rich graphics can take longer to \"read\" than the text around them because they present a lot of information in a condensed form. \u00a0Give yourself plenty of time to study these items, as they often provide new and lasting insights that are easy to recall later (like in the middle of an exam on that topic!).\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/26221704\/6230570555_c21a9afebd_z.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-601\"><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-601\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/26221704\/6230570555_c21a9afebd_z.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a man lying on the ground, against a tree, holding a book and a pencil in hand\" width=\"501\" height=\"316\" \/><\/a>\r\n<h2>Vocabulary-Building Techniques<\/h2>\r\nGaining confidence with unique\u00a0terminology used in different disciplines can help you be more successful in your courses and in college generally. In addition to the suggestions\u00a0described earlier, such as looking up unfamiliar words in dictionaries, the following are additional vocabulary-building\u00a0techniques\u00a0for you to try:\r\n<h3>Read Everything\u00a0and Read Often<\/h3>\r\nReading frequently both in and out of the classroom will help strengthen your vocabulary. Whenever you read a book, magazine, newspaper, blog, or any other resource, keep\u00a0a running list of words you don't know. Look up the words as you encounter them and try to incorporate\u00a0them into your own speaking and writing.\r\n<h3>Make Connections to Words You Already Know<\/h3>\r\nYou may\u00a0be familiar with the \u201clooks like . . . sounds like\u201d saying that applies to words. It\u00a0means that you can sometimes look at a new word and guess the definition based on similar words whose meaning you know. For example, if you are reading a biology book on the human body and come across the word <em>malignant<\/em>, you might\u00a0guess that this word means something negative or broken\u00a0if you already know the word\u00a0<em>malfunction, <\/em>which\u00a0share the \"mal-\" prefix.\r\n<h3>Make Index Cards<\/h3>\r\nIf\u00a0you are studying certain words\u00a0for a test,\u00a0or you know that certain phrases\u00a0will be used frequently in a course or field, try making flashcards for review. For each key term, write the word on one side of an index card and the definition on the other.\u00a0Drill yourself, and then ask your friends to help quiz you.\r\n\r\nDeveloping a strong vocabulary is similar to most hobbies and activities. Even experts in a field\u00a0continue to encounter and adopt\u00a0new words. The following video discusses more strategies for improving vocabulary.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/nfbY0EK7JEY\r\n\r\nWords are sneaky, charming, and intriguing. The more complex our vocabularies, the more complex our thoughts are, too.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/assessments.lumenlearning.com\/assessments\/874","rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/04\/12210945\/3414054443_2bd47e12f7_b.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-982\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-982 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/04\/12210945\/3414054443_2bd47e12f7_b-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of two young women sitting on a rock. One is reading a book.\" width=\"701\" height=\"394\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting. \u2014Edmund Burke, author and philosopher<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<p>By the end of this section, you will be able to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify common types of reading tasks\u00a0assigned\u00a0in a college class<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Describe the purpose and instructor expectations of academic reading<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify effective reading strategies for academic texts: previewing, reading, summarizing, reviewing<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explore strategies for approaching specialized texts, such as math, and specialized platforms, such as online text<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify\u00a0vocabulary-building techniques to strengthen your reading comprehension<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Types of College Reading Materials<\/h2>\n<p>As a college student, you will eventually choose a major or focus of study. In your first year or so, though, you&#8217;ll probably have to complete &#8220;core&#8221; or required classes in different subjects. For example, even if you plan to major in English, you may still have to take at least one science, history, and math class. These different academic disciplines (and the instructors who teach them)\u00a0can vary greatly in terms of the materials that students are assigned\u00a0to read. Not all college reading is the same. So, what types\u00a0can you expect to encounter?<\/p>\n<h3>Textbooks<\/h3>\n<p>Probably the most familiar reading material in college is the\u00a0<strong>textbook<\/strong>. These\u00a0are academic books, usually focused on one discipline,\u00a0and their primary purpose is to educate\u00a0readers\u00a0on a particular\u00a0subject\u2014&#8221;Principles of Algebra,&#8221; for example, or &#8220;Introduction to Business.&#8221; It&#8217;s not uncommon for instructors to use one textbook as the primary\u00a0text for an entire\u00a0course. Instructors\u00a0typically\u00a0assign chapters as readings and may include any word problems or questions in the textbook, too.<\/p>\n<h3>Articles<\/h3>\n<p>Instructors may also\u00a0assign\u00a0<strong>academic articles<\/strong> or <strong>news articles<\/strong>. Academic articles are written by people who specialize in a particular field or subject, while news articles may\u00a0be from recent newspapers and magazines. For example, in a science class, you may be asked to read an academic article on the benefits of rainforest preservation, whereas\u00a0in a government class, you may\u00a0be asked to read an article summarizing a recent presidential debate. Instructors may have you read\u00a0the articles online or they may distribute copies in class or electronically.<\/p>\n<p>The chief\u00a0difference between news and academic articles is the intended audience of the publication. News articles are mass media: They are written for a broad audience, and they are published in magazines and newspapers that are generally available for purchase at grocery stores or bookstores. They may also be available online. Academic articles, on the other hand, are usually\u00a0published in scholarly journals with fairly small circulations. \u00a0While you won&#8217;t\u00a0be able to purchase individual journal issues from Barnes and Noble, public and school libraries do make these journal issues and individual articles available. \u00a0It&#8217;s common to access academic articles through online databases hosted by\u00a0libraries.<\/p>\n<h3>Literature\u00a0and Nonfiction Books<\/h3>\n<p>Instructors use <strong>literature<\/strong>\u00a0and <strong>nonfiction books<\/strong> in their classes to teach students about different genres, events, time periods, and perspectives. For example, a\u00a0history instructor might ask\u00a0you to read the diary of a girl who lived during the Great Depression so you can learn what life was like back then. In an English class, your instructor might assign a series of short stories written during the 1960s by different American authors, so you can compare styles and thematic concerns.<\/p>\n<p>Literature includes short stories, novels or novellas, graphic novels, drama, and poetry. Nonfiction works include creative nonfiction\u2014narrative stories told from real life\u2014as well as history, biography, and reference materials. Textbooks and scholarly articles are specific types of nonfiction; often their purpose is to instruct, whereas other forms of nonfiction be written to inform, to persuade, or to entertain.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/26211202\/4240056336_88670d07eb_z.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-597\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-597\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/26211202\/4240056336_88670d07eb_z.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of woman lying on grass, reading &quot;How Ottowa Spends 2009\u20132010&quot;\" width=\"500\" height=\"332\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Purpose of Academic Reading<\/h2>\n<p>Casual reading across genres, from books and magazines to newspapers and blogs, is something students should be encouraged to do in their free time because it can be both\u00a0educational and fun. In college, however, instructors generally expect students to read resources that have particular value in the context of a course.\u00a0Why is academic reading beneficial?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Information comes from reputable sources<\/strong>: Web sites and blogs can be a source of insight and information, but not all\u00a0are useful as academic resources. They may be written by people or companies whose main purpose is to share an opinion or sell you something. Academic sources\u00a0such as textbooks and scholarly journal articles,\u00a0on the other hand, are usually written by experts in the field and have to\u00a0pass stringent peer review requirements in order to get published.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Learn how to form arguments<\/strong>: In most college classes except for creating writing, when instructors ask you\u00a0to write a paper, they expect it to be argumentative in style. This means that the goal\u00a0of the paper is to research a topic and develop an argument about it using evidence and facts to support your position.\u00a0Since many\u00a0college reading assignments (especially journal articles) are written in a similar style, you&#8217;ll gain experience studying\u00a0their strategies and learning to emulate them.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Exposure to\u00a0different viewpoints<\/strong>: One purpose of assigned academic readings is to give students exposure to different viewpoints and ideas. For example, in an ethics class, you might be asked\u00a0to read a series of articles written by medical professionals and religious leaders\u00a0who are pro-life or pro-choice and consider the validity of their arguments. Such experience can help you wrestle with ideas and beliefs\u00a0in new ways and develop a better understanding of how others&#8217; views differ from your own.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\n<h3>Activity: Describing the Purpose of Academic Reading<\/h3>\n<h4>Objective<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Describe the purpose of academic reading and what an instructor might expect of you after reading<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Directions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Review the main types of academic reading and the purpose of academic reading.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine you are an instructor for a class. This could be a class you are currently taking or one you would like to see offered.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify three academic readings\u00a0that you would assign to your students.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explain why you would assign these works\u00a0and what you would expect your students to learn or do after reading them.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Follow your instructor\u2019s guidelines for submitting assignments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Reading Strategies for Academic Texts<\/h2>\n<p>Recall from the Active Learning\u00a0section\u00a0that effective reading requires more engagement\u00a0than just reading the words on the\u00a0page. In order to learn and retain\u00a0what you read, it&#8217;s a good idea to\u00a0do things\u00a0like circling key words, writing notes, and reflecting. Actively reading academic texts can be challenging for students who are used to reading for entertainment alone, but practicing\u00a0the following steps will get you up to speed:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Preview<\/strong>: You can gain insight from\u00a0an academic text before you even begin\u00a0the reading assignment. For example, if you are assigned a nonfiction book, read the title, the back of the book, and table of contents. Scanning this information can give you an initial idea of what you&#8217;ll be reading and some useful context for thinking about it.\u00a0You can also start to make connections between the new reading and knowledge you already have, which is another strategy for retaining information.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Read<\/strong>: While you read an academic text, you should have a pen or pencil\u00a0in hand. Circle or highlight key concepts. Write questions or comments in the margins or in a notebook. \u00a0This will help you remember what you are reading and also build a personal connection with the subject matter.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Summarize<\/strong>: After you an read academic text, it&#8217;s worth taking the time to write a short summary\u2014even if your instructor doesn&#8217;t require it. The exercise of jotting down a few sentences or a short paragraph capturing the main ideas of the reading is enormously beneficial: it not only\u00a0helps you understand and absorb what you read but gives you ready study and review materials for exams and other writing assignments.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Review<\/strong>: It always helps to revisit what you&#8217;ve read for a quick refresher. It may not be practical to thoroughly reread assignments from start to finish, but before class discussions or tests, it&#8217;s a good idea to skim through them to identify the main points, reread any notes at the ends of chapters, and review any summaries you&#8217;ve written.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The following video covers\u00a0additional active reading strategies readers can use\u00a0before, during, and after the reading process.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-1\" title=\"College Reading Strategies\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/faZF9x4A2Vs?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>Reading Strategies for Specialized Texts and Online Resources<\/h2>\n<p>In college it&#8217;s not uncommon to experience frustration with reading assignments from time to time. Because you&#8217;re doing more reading on your own outside the classroom, and with less frequent contact with instructors than you had\u00a0in high school, it&#8217;s possible you&#8217;ll encounter readings that contain unfamiliar vocabulary or don&#8217;t readily make sense. Different disciplines and subjects have different\u00a0writing conventions and styles, and it can take some practice to get to know them. For example, scientific articles follow\u00a0a very particular format and typically\u00a0contain the following sections: an abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussions. If you are used to reading\u00a0literary works, such as graphic novels or poetry, it can be disorienting to encounter these new forms of writing.<\/p>\n<p>Below are some strategies for making different kinds of texts more approachable.<\/p>\n<h3>Get to Know the\u00a0Conventions<\/h3>\n<p>Academic texts, like scientific studies and journal articles, may\u00a0have sections that are\u00a0new to you. If you&#8217;re not sure what an &#8220;abstract&#8221; is, research it\u00a0online or ask your instructor. Understanding the meaning and purpose of such conventions is not only helpful for reading comprehension but for writing, too.<\/p>\n<h3>Look up and Keep Track of Unfamiliar Terms and Phrases<\/h3>\n<p>Have a good\u00a0college\u00a0dictionary such as Merriam-Webster handy (or find\u00a0it\u00a0online) when you read complex academic texts, so you can look up the meaning of unfamiliar\u00a0words and terms. Many textbooks also contain glossaries or &#8220;key terms&#8221; sections at the ends of chapters or the end of the book. If you can&#8217;t find the words you&#8217;re looking for in a standard\u00a0dictionary, you may need one specially written for a particular discipline. For example, a medical dictionary would be a good resource for a course in anatomy and physiology.<\/p>\n<p>If you circle or underline terms and phrases that appear repeatedly, you&#8217;ll have a visual reminder\u00a0to review and learn them. Repetition helps to lock in these new words and their meaning get them into\u00a0long-term memory, so the more you review them the more you&#8217;ll understand and feel comfortable using them.<\/p>\n<h3>Look for Main Ideas and Themes<\/h3>\n<p>As a college student, you are not expected to understand every single word or idea presented in a reading, especially if you haven&#8217;t discussed it in class yet. However, you will get more out of discussions and feel more confident about asking questions if you can identify the main idea or thesis in a reading. The thesis statement can often (but not always) be found in the introductory paragraph, and it may\u00a0be introduced with a phrase like &#8220;In this essay I argue that . . .&#8221; Getting a handle on\u00a0the overall reason an author wrote something (&#8220;to prove X&#8221; or &#8220;to explore Y,&#8221; for instance) gives you a framework for understanding more of the details. It&#8217;s also useful to keep track of any\u00a0themes you notice in the writing. A theme may\u00a0be a recurring idea, word, or image that strikes you as interesting or important: &#8220;This story is about men working in a gloomy\u00a0factory, but the author keeps mentioning birds and bats and windows. Why is that??&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3>Get the Most of Online Reading<\/h3>\n<p>Reading online texts presents unique challenges for some students. For one thing, you can&#8217;t readily\u00a0circle or underline key terms or passages on the screen with a pencil. For another, there can be many tempting distractions\u2014just a quick visit to amazon.com or Facebook.<\/p>\n<p>While there&#8217;s no substitute for old-fashioned self-discipline, you can take advantage of the following tips to make online reading more efficient and effective:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Where possible, download the reading as a PDF, Word document, etc., so you can read it offline.<\/li>\n<li>Get one of the apps that allow you to disable your social media sites for specified periods of time.<\/li>\n<li>Adjust your screen to avoid glare and eye strain, and change the text font to be less distracting (for those essays written in Comic Sans).<\/li>\n<li>Install an annotation tool in your Web browser so you can highlight and make notes on online text. One to try is\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/hypothes.is\/\" target=\"_blank\">hypothes.is<\/a>.\u00a0A low-tech option is to have a notebook handy to write in as you read.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Look for Reputable Online Sources<\/h3>\n<p>Professors\u00a0tend to assign reading from reputable\u00a0print and online sources, so you\u00a0can feel comfortable referencing such sources\u00a0in class and for writing assignments. If you are looking for online sources independently, however,\u00a0devote some time and energy to critically evaluating the quality of the source before spending\u00a0time reading any resources you find there. Find out what you can about the author (if one is listed), the Web site, and any affiliated sponsors it may have. Check that the information is current and accurate against similar information on other pages.\u00a0Depending on what you are researching, sites that end in &#8220;.edu&#8221; (indicating an &#8220;education&#8221; site such as a college, university, or other academic institution) tend to be more reliable than &#8220;.com&#8221; sites.<\/p>\n<h3>Pay Attention to Visual Information<\/h3>\n<p>Images in textbooks or journals usually contain valuable information to help you more deeply grasp a topic. \u00a0Graphs and charts, for instance, help show the relationship between different kinds of information or data\u2014how a population changes over time, how a virus spreads through a population, etc.<\/p>\n<p>Data-rich graphics can take longer to &#8220;read&#8221; than the text around them because they present a lot of information in a condensed form. \u00a0Give yourself plenty of time to study these items, as they often provide new and lasting insights that are easy to recall later (like in the middle of an exam on that topic!).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/26221704\/6230570555_c21a9afebd_z.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-601\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-601\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1110\/2016\/02\/26221704\/6230570555_c21a9afebd_z.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of a man lying on the ground, against a tree, holding a book and a pencil in hand\" width=\"501\" height=\"316\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Vocabulary-Building Techniques<\/h2>\n<p>Gaining confidence with unique\u00a0terminology used in different disciplines can help you be more successful in your courses and in college generally. In addition to the suggestions\u00a0described earlier, such as looking up unfamiliar words in dictionaries, the following are additional vocabulary-building\u00a0techniques\u00a0for you to try:<\/p>\n<h3>Read Everything\u00a0and Read Often<\/h3>\n<p>Reading frequently both in and out of the classroom will help strengthen your vocabulary. Whenever you read a book, magazine, newspaper, blog, or any other resource, keep\u00a0a running list of words you don&#8217;t know. Look up the words as you encounter them and try to incorporate\u00a0them into your own speaking and writing.<\/p>\n<h3>Make Connections to Words You Already Know<\/h3>\n<p>You may\u00a0be familiar with the \u201clooks like . . . sounds like\u201d saying that applies to words. It\u00a0means that you can sometimes look at a new word and guess the definition based on similar words whose meaning you know. For example, if you are reading a biology book on the human body and come across the word <em>malignant<\/em>, you might\u00a0guess that this word means something negative or broken\u00a0if you already know the word\u00a0<em>malfunction, <\/em>which\u00a0share the &#8220;mal-&#8221; prefix.<\/p>\n<h3>Make Index Cards<\/h3>\n<p>If\u00a0you are studying certain words\u00a0for a test,\u00a0or you know that certain phrases\u00a0will be used frequently in a course or field, try making flashcards for review. For each key term, write the word on one side of an index card and the definition on the other.\u00a0Drill yourself, and then ask your friends to help quiz you.<\/p>\n<p>Developing a strong vocabulary is similar to most hobbies and activities. Even experts in a field\u00a0continue to encounter and adopt\u00a0new words. The following video discusses more strategies for improving vocabulary.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-2\" title=\"Vocabulary Reading Strategies\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nfbY0EK7JEY?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Words are sneaky, charming, and intriguing. The more complex our vocabularies, the more complex our thoughts are, too.<\/p>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"lumen_assessment_874\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assessments.lumenlearning.com\/assessments\/load?assessment_id=874&#38;embed=1&#38;external_user_id=&#38;external_context_id=&#38;iframe_resize_id=lumen_assessment_874\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:400px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-589\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Reading Strategies. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Jolene Carr. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Reading on a Rock. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Spanginator. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/spanginator\/3414054443\/sizes\/l\">https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/spanginator\/3414054443\/sizes\/l<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>College Reading Strategies. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: The Learning Center at the University of Hawaii Maui College. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/faZF9x4A2Vs\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/faZF9x4A2Vs<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Image of man reading under tree. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Ken Slade. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/auziyg\">https:\/\/flic.kr\/p\/auziyg<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Vocabulary Reading Strategies. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Lindsey Thompson. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/nfbY0EK7JEY\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/nfbY0EK7JEY<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t 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