{"id":279,"date":"2019-08-28T01:18:11","date_gmt":"2019-08-28T01:18:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-eng-101-college-writing-i\/chapter\/text-active-reading\/"},"modified":"2019-08-28T01:18:11","modified_gmt":"2019-08-28T01:18:11","slug":"text-active-reading","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-eng-101-college-writing-i-lynch\/chapter\/text-active-reading\/","title":{"raw":"Active Reading","rendered":"Active Reading"},"content":{"raw":"\n

A Two-Way Street: Reading as Conversation<\/span><\/h2>\n

Think of every text your instructor assigns as one half of a conversation between you and the writer. Good conversations achieve a balance between listening and responding. This give-and-take process drives human discourse. While one participant speaks, the other listens. But while the listener appears passive on the surface, he\u2019s most likely already preparing his response. He may evaluate what his partner says, testing it for how closely it matches his own ideas, accepting or rejecting part or all of the statement. When he does respond, he expresses his reaction, or asks a question about something he doesn\u2019t yet understand. Active reading mirrors this process closely. An active reader \u201clistens\u201d to the text, evaluating what the writer says, checking to see if it matches or differs from his current understanding of the issue or idea. He asks pertinent questions if something remains unclear, looking for answers in subsequent sections of the text. His final goal, of course, is to make a statement of his own, in the form of the essay he will eventually produce.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Retracing Your Steps: Read Every Text (at least) Twice<\/span><\/h2>\n

In fact, reading is in many ways better than conversation, because, like writing, it is recursive: you can revisit a text over and over, whereas the spoken word, unless recorded, disappears into the past, often along with part\u2014or all\u2014of the message the speaker was attempting to convey. When you read, you can move forward and backward in time, making sure you\u2019ve captured every nuance. You should read the text more than once, first for a general understanding, and then for a detailed analysis; your first read-through may raise questions only a second reading can reveal the answers to.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

Marking the Trail: Annotation<\/span><\/h2>\n

An active reader views the text as a living document, always incomplete. She reads with pen in hand, ready to write her observations, her questions, and her tentative answers in the margins. We call this annotation, the act of writing notes to oneself in the blank spaces of the page. It\u2019s not the same as underlining or highlighting, neither of which promotes active reading. A simple line underneath a passage contains no information; it merely indicates\u2014vaguely\u2014that you found a certain passage more important than the surrounding text. Annotation, on the other hand, is a record of your active responses to the text during the act of reading. A simple phrase summarizing a paragraph, a pointed question, or an emphatic expression of approval or disbelief all indicate spirited engagement with the text, which is the cornerstone of active reading.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Man<\/p>\n\n

Pace Yourself: Know Your Limitations and Eliminate Distractions<\/span><\/h2>\n

You can\u2019t hike the Appalachian Trail in a day. Similarly, you can\u2019t expect to sustain active reading longer than your mind and body will allow. Active reading requires energy and attention as well as devotion. Short rest periods between readings allow you to maintain focus and deliberate on what you have learned. If you remain diligent in your reading practice, you\u2019ll find that you can read actively for longer periods of time. But don\u2019t push yourself past the point at which you stop paying attention. If your mind begins to wander, take ten minutes away from the text to relax.  Ideally, you should read gradually, scheduling an hour or two every day for reading, rather than leaving your assignments until the last minute. You can\u2019t hope to gain full or even partial comprehension of a text with a deadline looming overhead.<\/span><\/p>\n

When and where you read can be as important as how long you read. Plan your reading sessions for hours when your mental energy is at its height\u2014usually during daylight hours. Likewise, you should select an optimal location, preferably one free of distractions. Loud music, the flickering of a TV screen, and the din of conversation tend to divert your attention from the task at hand. Even a momentary distraction, like a quick phone call or a friend asking a question, can interrupt the conversation you are having with your assigned text.<\/span><\/p>\n","rendered":"

A Two-Way Street: Reading as Conversation<\/span><\/h2>\n

Think of every text your instructor assigns as one half of a conversation between you and the writer. Good conversations achieve a balance between listening and responding. This give-and-take process drives human discourse. While one participant speaks, the other listens. But while the listener appears passive on the surface, he\u2019s most likely already preparing his response. He may evaluate what his partner says, testing it for how closely it matches his own ideas, accepting or rejecting part or all of the statement. When he does respond, he expresses his reaction, or asks a question about something he doesn\u2019t yet understand. Active reading mirrors this process closely. An active reader \u201clistens\u201d to the text, evaluating what the writer says, checking to see if it matches or differs from his current understanding of the issue or idea. He asks pertinent questions if something remains unclear, looking for answers in subsequent sections of the text. His final goal, of course, is to make a statement of his own, in the form of the essay he will eventually produce.<\/span><\/p>\n

Retracing Your Steps: Read Every Text (at least) Twice<\/span><\/h2>\n

In fact, reading is in many ways better than conversation, because, like writing, it is recursive: you can revisit a text over and over, whereas the spoken word, unless recorded, disappears into the past, often along with part\u2014or all\u2014of the message the speaker was attempting to convey. When you read, you can move forward and backward in time, making sure you\u2019ve captured every nuance. You should read the text more than once, first for a general understanding, and then for a detailed analysis; your first read-through may raise questions only a second reading can reveal the answers to.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marking the Trail: Annotation<\/span><\/h2>\n

An active reader views the text as a living document, always incomplete. She reads with pen in hand, ready to write her observations, her questions, and her tentative answers in the margins. We call this annotation, the act of writing notes to oneself in the blank spaces of the page. It\u2019s not the same as underlining or highlighting, neither of which promotes active reading. A simple line underneath a passage contains no information; it merely indicates\u2014vaguely\u2014that you found a certain passage more important than the surrounding text. Annotation, on the other hand, is a record of your active responses to the text during the act of reading. A simple phrase summarizing a paragraph, a pointed question, or an emphatic expression of approval or disbelief all indicate spirited engagement with the text, which is the cornerstone of active reading.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Man<\/p>\n

Pace Yourself: Know Your Limitations and Eliminate Distractions<\/span><\/h2>\n

You can\u2019t hike the Appalachian Trail in a day. Similarly, you can\u2019t expect to sustain active reading longer than your mind and body will allow. Active reading requires energy and attention as well as devotion. Short rest periods between readings allow you to maintain focus and deliberate on what you have learned. If you remain diligent in your reading practice, you\u2019ll find that you can read actively for longer periods of time. But don\u2019t push yourself past the point at which you stop paying attention. If your mind begins to wander, take ten minutes away from the text to relax.  Ideally, you should read gradually, scheduling an hour or two every day for reading, rather than leaving your assignments until the last minute. You can\u2019t hope to gain full or even partial comprehension of a text with a deadline looming overhead.<\/span><\/p>\n

When and where you read can be as important as how long you read. Plan your reading sessions for hours when your mental energy is at its height\u2014usually during daylight hours. Likewise, you should select an optimal location, preferably one free of distractions. Loud music, the flickering of a TV screen, and the din of conversation tend to divert your attention from the task at hand. Even a momentary distraction, like a quick phone call or a friend asking a question, can interrupt the conversation you are having with your assigned text.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t

Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div>