In many high schools and universities it happens often and willingly that long and complex reading material is assigned. You may need to read a novel for a literature program or a biography for a history class, and you may need some help. To read a book effectively and assimilate its content well, you should adopt a good strategy that helps you understand and memorize the text, as well as make reading enjoyable.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare for Active Reading
Step 1. Find a quiet place to read
Distractions such as cell phones, televisions, or computers can slow down reading and decrease concentration. Try to understand if you need absolute silence to concentrate better or if you prefer background noise, such as white noise or external ambient sounds.
- Keep the books and notes you need neat and close at hand so you don't have to waste time looking for them.
- Choose a comfortable position to read, but make sure it doesn't make you sleepy.
- Don't assume that you can do multiple things at once, like surf the Internet or watch TV while reading. The famous "multitasking" is just a myth. To get the most out of reading, you need to focus solely on the book and nothing else.
Step 2. Review the instructions
It is important to be clear about the purpose for which the reading of that text has been assigned, so that you can focus on the right themes and concepts. This will also help you understand the book better and take notes more effectively.
- If the professor has assigned an essay to conduct, make sure you understand the track well.
- If you have a number of questions to answer, read them carefully, use a dictionary and class notes to shed light on terms or concepts that are not clear to you.
Step 3. Make a preliminary analysis of the book
It will help you to grasp its general sense and to understand how it is structured. If you have an early idea of what the main topics are, you will probably be able to understand the text better when you go to read it and you will be able to take more accurate notes.
- Examine the front and back covers and, if any, the back covers, to learn about the book's theme and author.
- Study the index to get more details on the subject and on the structure of the work; compare it with the course program to determine in which order to read the chapters and sections.
- Read the introduction and the first chapter to get an idea of the author's style and learn more about the central topics of the text or, if it's a novel, about the characters.
Step 4. Write a short reflection on the preliminary analysis
It will help you feel more confident in what you understand and focus better on the topic at hand. It will also be useful for memorizing the content of the book, as it will be a good reminder of what you need to assimilate.
- What did you learn about the subject and about the author of the work?
- How is the book structured? Does it have chapters in chronological order? Is it a collection of essays?
- How can the text help you accomplish the assigned task?
- What method will you use to take notes?
Step 5. Ask about your previous knowledge about the book and the subject
Having a clear idea of what you already know can help you understand the text and make reading faster and more efficient.
- What is the topic? What do I know about it?
- Why did the professor include this reading in the program?
Step 6. Determine what your personal purpose is
Even if you don't have a specific task to do, you should still ask yourself why you are reading that book. Reflecting on your goals will help you understand the text better and will influence your choice of reading strategy. Add your personal purpose to the preliminary reflection.
- We usually read non-narrative texts to find specific information or get an overview of a topic or concept.
- Instead, we read narrative works for the pleasure of following the story and the characters. If you have to read them for a literature course, you will have to pay more attention to the evolution of the themes or to the style and linguistic register of the author.
- Ask yourself what you want to learn and what questions you have on the subject.
Step 7. Consider the context in which you live
When you read a book, the way you understand and interpret the story, the words and the arguments is influenced by your personal experience. It is important to keep in mind that the context of the reader can be very different from that of the author.
- Check the date and place where the work was written and reflect on the historical context of that country in those years.
- Write down your views and feelings about the subject of the book. You may have to put them aside for a while to be able to analyze the text objectively and rationally.
- Keep in mind that the author may have a very different perspective from yours; your job is as much to understand his point of view as to have your own personal reaction at the same time.
Step 8. Read any additional material about the book, author, or topic that the professor may have recommended
It will help you to read the work as the person who wrote it would like - and not only based on your point of view - and to understand the importance of the events and ideas present within it.
Ask yourself: "What is the author's purpose? Who is he addressing? What is his critical perspective on the subject?"
Step 9. Get ready to take notes
Actively interacting with the text by taking notes improves understanding, concentration and memory. Instead of just hoping to understand and remember everything, find a good way to clearly record your thoughts as you read.
- Some prefer to underline the book and write notes directly in the margins of the pages. If this is the method you intend to adopt, plan to collect all your notes in a separate place after each reading session.
- Create a graphic scheme based on the type of task you need to do and / or your goals. You can dedicate the different parts of the outline to chapter summaries, details on topics and characters, recurring themes you notice, questions and answers that come to mind. Fill them in as you go along.
Part 2 of 3: Understanding and Memorizing the Text
Step 1. Take breaks to make sure you understand
Plan your reading times based on the preliminary analysis you have done and the assigned task. You can decide to read for a certain amount of time or stop whenever you reach the end of a chapter or a certain goal.
- A novel or short story will likely allow you to read for longer periods of time, considering the nature of the fiction.
- Non-fiction, on the other hand, may require more focus on reading objectives. If you are dealing with a collection of essays, it is not necessary to follow the order in which they are presented in the book; rather, organize the reading order according to the topics that interest you the most or that are most relevant to the assignment.
Step 2. Stop every few minutes and try to remember the details of what you have read
If you are able to remember almost everything, it means that you have found a good rhythm. If you can't, stop a little more often and try again.
- Once you can remember better, extend your reading session again. With practice, memorization and understanding will improve and you will become an increasingly skilled reader.
- Before starting a new session, try to remember the previous ones. The more you train your memory, the better you will be able to focus and remember.
Step 3. Adjust your reading speed
Each type of text, in order to better understand it, requires a different reading speed. Simpler books, such as novels, can be read much faster than a collection of academic articles. However, studies have shown that too slow reading could impair the understanding of complex texts.
- Use cardstock, a ruler, or your finger to help you follow the text with your eyes and stay focused on the page.
- Stop often to check if you have understood what you have read correctly, so as to become more and more confident as you increase the speed.
Step 4. Take notes on each section
Each time you stop reading to absorb the details, write down the main concepts of the section you just finished. This will help you memorize content and prepare for a review or essay.
- If you are taking notes on the margins of pages, this is a good time to write them down in a notebook, word processing program or a note app.
- Create a separate list of topics or themes and write down the details you have learned. The summaries should contain only the main ideas and arguments, while the details consist of facts and notions that support those ideas. Add them to the graphic scheme.
Step 5. Search the dictionary for unfamiliar words or important terms
They might come in handy if you need to write an essay, or they might be part of the terminology you need to know for a test or exam. Make a list of these words, referring to where they appear in the book and the dictionary definition.
Step 6. Write down any questions that come to your mind as you read
Teachers usually ask students questions to check their understanding of the text and make them interested in the topics covered, both academically and personally. If you ask yourself questions as you read, you will understand and remember the information better and will be able to analyze and discuss it more thoroughly.
- If you are taking notes directly in the book, write the questions on the page of the paragraph in question and then write them down on the notepad (paper or digital) or in the outline.
- When you stop to check your understanding, go back to the questions you asked in the previous sections and see if you can answer them based on the new information you have learned.
- If you are reading non-narrative text and the chapters are divided into titles and subtitles, turn each title into a question that you will try to answer as you continue reading.
Step 7. Write a summary of each chapter or section in your own words
Use the notes you made in the margins of the pages or in the outline, but try to be brief. By focusing on the main concepts, you will be able to get an overview of the work and connect the different chapters together, as well as with the task to be performed.
- If it seems to you that a particular passage answers your question or is generally important for your work, carefully copy it and write down the page number.
- You can also paraphrase or cite any ideas that you think might be useful for accomplishing the task or for your own personal purposes.
Step 8. Take notes on recurring themes
In a separate section of your notes or outline, write down any relevant images, themes, concepts, or terms you see repeating themselves in the text. It will help you think more critically about the book and develop topics for an essay or discussion.
- Mark with an "X" the passages that seem important to you, that repeat themselves or that make you difficult. Write down your thoughts in the margin of the page or in your outline.
- After each reading session, go back to the previous sections and re-read both the passages you marked and what you wrote about them. Ask yourself: "What is the common thread? What does the author want to communicate?".
- Write your answers next to the notes on that section; include quotes and references and explain why they are interesting or important.
Step 9. Discuss the book with a partner or friend while you are still reading it
Talking to another person about your thoughts and the information you have gathered in the course of reading can help you remember them better and correct them if they turn out to be wrong. Together, you can think more actively about the main ideas and themes of the work.
- Check the respective notes and summaries to verify that nothing has been left out.
- Discuss the recurring themes you have identified; if new conclusions emerge, take note.
- Answer each other's questions about the book and the assignment.
Part 3 of 3: Reflect after the Reading
Step 1. Summarize the summaries
Review the summary notes and the list of the main concepts of the work and then create a general summary no longer than one page. This step is essential in order to better understand and remember the text. If you summarize the main concepts in your own words, you will have a clearer idea of the content of the book.
- Overly detailed summaries can be cumbersome and distracting you from the central points.
- If you are summarizing a novel, it might be helpful to use the "start - unfold - end" structure.
Step 2. Outline the more detailed notes
Use the main concepts as central points and the details and quotes as sub-points and explanations. This will bring out the structure of the work and will help you understand the issues.
- Use longer sentences for the main concepts and shorter sentences for the details.
- Try to keep a balance by entering the same number of subpoints for each central point.
- Refer to the graphic scheme to get an idea of how to organize points and sub-points.
Step 3. Find links to other works
Comparing the book with other texts will not only help you understand the contents better, but will also allow you to explore different points of view on the same topic. Ask yourself:
- "How does the author's style or approach relate to other works on the same topic or genre?";
- "What have I learned that is new and different from the information and perspectives of other books I have read?"
Step 4. Evaluate the author's arguments if it is a non-narrative text
The professor may be interested in your opinion on the validity of the arguments expressed in the book; you should therefore be able to make a critical evaluation of the thesis presented by the author and of the evidence he adduces to support it. Use the notes you have taken on the core concepts and details.
- Determine the author's trustworthiness - did he conduct thorough research? Was it influenced by a particular theory or idea? Does he seem biased on certain issues? How can you tell?
- Examine the images in the book and determine if they are helpful in understanding the author's arguments.
Step 5. Reflect on your personal reactions
Reread your notes and expand your analysis by adding your own reflections on the style and structure of the text. Examine the author's style as well as your reaction to it.
- What style does the author use? Is it narrative or analytical? Formal or informal?
- How am I influenced by the format and style of the book?
- Explain why that particular style and your reaction as a reader are important in understanding the argument, theme, or story.
Step 6. Try to answer the questions you asked yourself while reading
Curiosity is one of the secrets to understanding books and having fun reading them. If you have asked some good questions, you will surely have a broader and deeper understanding of the work.
- The right questions can lead to interesting and complex theses to develop in an essay.
- The answers do not have to consist of elements directly drawn from the text; better questions lead to a broader view of the concepts, story, or characters.
- If you can't answer some questions, ask your teacher, a classmate or a friend.
Step 7. Make a list of questions the teacher might ask
If you are prepared for what you may be asked for in an oral or written exam, you will be much more confident when it comes to getting started. While the questions you have been thinking about may not be exactly the professor's, it is worth the effort to think like a teacher - it will prepare you for a wider range of tests.
- Include different types of tests (short answer questions, vocabulary questions, theme or essay tracks, etc.) to test your knowledge as well as your critical thinking skills.
- Also prepare an answer sheet for all types of tests, in order to use both the questions and the answers as a study guide or as a draft for the development of a written paper.
- Create an entire test together with a companion for a more detailed study guide.
Step 8. Review your notes every day
Rereading your notes and reflections will further improve your understanding of the text and allow you to give more accurate answers to an exam or to elaborate an essay in more depth. Start preparing well in advance so that you feel confident when the time comes.
Don't waste time re-reading the text, unless you're looking for a particular quote or piece of information. Rereading the entire book will not make you understand it any better; you would just risk getting frustrated and bored
Step 9. Talk to your mates again
One of the most rewarding aspects of finishing a book is being able to discuss it with other people who have read it. You can check with them if you have understood the text well and share your thoughts on the author's story or thesis.
- Do a final check on the respective notes to see if there are any errors or if anything is missing.
- Talk about the themes you have identified and the ideas you have explored.
- Answer each other questions you have about the book or assignment to make sure you have all the important elements clear.
Advice
- Reading summaries online does not guarantee the level of understanding and enjoyment you would get from reading and analyzing the book yourself.
- Avoid copying and practice using your own words.
- Avoid re-reading; there is often the need to reread due to a lack of confidence in one's own understanding.
- It will probably seem that stopping to check what you have understood and to take notes lengthens the reading sessions; it actually reduces the overall time, because that way you won't have to re-read multiple times.
