What you’ll learn to do: use context clues and other reading strategies to learn and retain new words

College reading covers a much broader range of topics than what you’ve encountered before. Becoming well-read strengthens your critical thinking skills, and in this section, you’ll explore strategies to build your vocabulary.

Don’t worry—you won’t be memorizing long lists of complex words in this section. Instead, you’ll learn how to approach reading methodically to naturally expand your vocabulary. While reading more does help, you can also use context clues and word parts to decipher new words.

You’ll also discover strategies for handling specialized or technical vocabulary. Since college courses often introduce unfamiliar concepts, reading strategically will help you get the most out of your studies.