Chapter 5: Academic Strategies
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As you begin tackling readings at the postsecondary level, you may initially struggle to efficiently understand the content, as academic research typically incorporates complex phrasing, language and terminology that requires effective comprehension techniques to fully grasp. By consistently practicing and applying these reading comprehension strategies, you’ll overcome this learning curve in no time and will find yourself comprehending more difficult readings with ease!
Moreover, effectively comprehending your readings will elevate your learning by moving beyond mere memorization and passive skimming to constructing meaning from the text and communicating what you’ve decoded. The ability to translate another author’s text into your thoughts, questions and ideas is a central skill that you are expected to develop as you progress through your postsecondary studies.
Begin by briefly reading the introduction and conclusion of the text
Whether it’s a journal article or book chapter, quickly skimming the intro and conclusion will allow you to get a general understanding of the main ideas/points/arguments. Once you understand what the reading is about, you are ready to begin a more detailed reading of the text.
Learn unfamiliar words
Academic texts can often be difficult to understand at first and will sometimes incorporate advanced terminology. To fully comprehend what the author is communicating, take the time to jot down any unknown words/phrases and look up the meanings. In your notes, rewrite sentences using terms that you will better understand when you go back to review your work.
Another effective strategy to comprehend and remember unfamiliar terminology is creating a “cheat sheet” of new terms/phrases that you came across in the reading. You can use these to quiz yourself on the new terms that you learned! Quizlet is a great online tool for creating personalized flashcards, memory exercises and tests of your terms and corresponding definitions. If you are struggling to comprehend larger sections of the text, don’t hesitate to email your professor/TA or bring up your concerns in a tutorial/seminar to have your TA or a fellow student explain them to you. It is quite a common practice for many students in postsecondary.
Create organized and easy-to-understand reading notes
Whether you choose to hand write or type out your notes, be sure to extract the main ideas and themes from the reading and jot them down in your own words in point form. Your future self will thank you for taking the time to create these personalized reading notes when it’s time to study for tests and exams!
Once you complete the reading, you may find it helpful to summarize the entire article/chapter at the end in just a couple of sentences or annotate your reading to remind your brain of the most important idea you should be taking away from the text. Check out ‘The Top 3 Most Effective Ways to Take Notes While Reading’ article for some helpful tips.
Ask questions as you read
As you read a piece of text, you might find yourself asking questions about the content. Make note of these as you read and ask them during your lectures or tutorials.
Video: Reading Comprehension: Questioning
Watch the video “Reading Comprehension: Questioning: [3:08] to learn more about the importance of asking questions in improving your reading comprehension,
Don’t try reading a long chapter in one sitting
Even if you consistently apply these reading comprehension strategies, you won’t get the most out of your reading material without frequent breaks. Some readings can be several pages long and quite dense, so be sure to give your eyes and mind a rest by breaking up your readings into smaller sections. For example, you may decide to complete a 30-page reading in three days by reading 10 pages per day.
Reading Comprehension Tips
We all absorb and understand the information in a variety of different ways and some reading techniques may benefit you and your learning more than others! It’s your responsibility to test out different reading comprehension methods to discover what patterns and habits best align with your learning strengths.
Use Visuals
If you’re a fan of visuals, you may find it helpful to create visual depictions and other graphics that represent a certain idea presented in the reading. By creating these visual notes, your brain may have a better chance of absorbing and remembering the concept/idea. You may also benefit from additional visual material on a given topic that you’re reading about. For example, you can watch YouTube videos, documentaries and movies about the subject you’re reading.
Use Sounds
If you like listening to information, you may find it helpful to read the text and your notes out loud. This may help you absorb and remember the information quicker. You may also enjoy listening to podcasts about the subject you’re reading.
Relocation
If you’re drawn to proactive activities as you learn, you may find it helpful to frequently move locations as you’re completing a long reading. You may also find it beneficial to apply the content you read to your learning environment. For example, completing a reading about a specific cell or organism and then remembering to view that cell/organism if given the opportunity at your next biology lab session.
Additional Materials
If you enjoy processing written text, you may find that comprehending and completing comes very easily to you and that you quickly absorb the content you read! You may find it beneficial to seek out additional readings and materials to learn from if you are struggling to understand a particular point or idea. For example, if you are failing to comprehend an author’s description of a historical event in their book chapter, you may wish to read some primary sources and original texts/materials from that event to gain a better understanding.
Learning Differences
Some students struggle with a learning difference that makes it more difficult to understand the meaning of words and passages in their readings, especially with longer and more robust material. However, it’s important to keep in mind that these challenges are not a problem with your intelligence; you just simply need to work at improving your reading comprehension techniques!
