gdr2004

This is now in the Tilted Knowledge Section :-p
Here
I know how to read, but I'm wondering if I really know how to read.

I feel like my comprehension could be much higher then it is right now. Am I really appericiating poetry or am I just scanning through the words with my mind without giving it thought? Am I really UNDERSTANDING the material I am reading or am I just hammering it into my head in hopes of remembering?

I'm about to enter college and I am trying to find ways that will work for me. I've read several books on the matter and I've distinguished that most authors have variations on reading.

Now, I understand that there must be different styles applied to different types of reading (one would read a mystery novel differently from say, a Biology text book), but I am mostly concerned with school related reading. But here is a summary of my findings and conclusions. What are your opinions on it? What works for YOU?

1. Before even you open the book, get into an accelerated learning state. By relaxing your physical body and stating the goal and purpose of the reason for reading the material, you will be able to better absorb the information. This is the time to do relaxation excercises and get into a comfortable position (this doesn't mean that you can plop down on the bed with the TV on). State your purpose. Are you reading it for leisure? Perhaps for a class? And if for a class, what kind of information are you hoping to gain from the reading?

(A Relaxation technique)
Sit down, take a few deep breaths. Now, close your eyes and visualize a tangerine. Feel it, smell it. Can you feel the weight of the tangerine on your hand? Toss it from one hand to the other. With the feet firmly planted on the ground and your posture straight, place the tangerine on the upper rear part of your head and tap your head slightly. When you open your eyes, your field of vision will be enhanced greatly.

2. The next step is to preview the material, going through a section or a chapter. Note the titles and subheadings. Read the pictures, study them. Read the captions. This is the time to set up a mental frame of the chapter in your mind. It's a skeleton. After you've previewed the materal and you have questions in your mind, you're ready to fill the meat.

3. Return to the start and read the material. I personally was split at choosing the speed. Comprehension comes before speed. So what if you can read at 5000 words for minute (wpm)? It won't matter if you can't understand anything. It's better to read slow and understand it. If you had to have heart surgery, would you rather have the surgeon make assumptions and jump around so he can make it home in time? Your speed, your choice, your grades, your decision.

3a. An option offered by a few authors has you creating an outline on notebook paper as you go along. I've found that this let's me organize my thoughts clearly, but it may not be for everyone.

4. After reading, return to the beginning and skim through the text. Figure out the important main ideas and mark them on the text. Highlight, underline, circle, glitter, whatever works for you.

5. Take a break (Actually you should take one whenever you feel like it- you will learn more from 10-20 minutes of concentration followed by 5 minutes of break rather then 60 straight minutes of mind-breaking study)

6. Return to the text and post-view. Read the captions and the subheadings again as you did in the preview. Can you explain what is in each section?

What do you guys think of my 6 steps? What could be improved? What kinds of environment do you read best at? Let's discuss. Let's enlighten. Let's learn how to read :-)

asaris

Sounds good. One thing to emphasize is that it's important to know what the text is trying to accomplish. Is it philosophy? Then what is the author arguing for? What is his argument? Is it literature? Then what themes is she trying to evoke?

Normally what I do, when I'm actually reading well, is to take notes after each section. This helps me see what points are unclear in my own head yet, so I can go back and get clear on them. I try to include things like my own thoughts/feelings/impressions. Then, when I go back to the notes later, I can think somewhat more objectively than right after reading the text. If something I wrote seems wrong, I can go back and find why I thought that, and if it's something I want to stand by.

__________________
"Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht."

"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

Comprehend

I definately agree about the breaks. For myself, I've found that I can most effectively retain textbook material if I allow myself about 1/3 of the time to let my brain 'catch up,' so to speak. It definately helps me think about whats currently going on, and how it connects to what I read a few pages back etc.

I usually go for 20 mins, 10 min break, or 30/15. Any longer, and it becomes increasingly difficult for me. Some physical activity, such as stretches or walking about help me sort out my mental filing drawer.

I hope this helps!

wilbjammin

In textbooks and really anything but fiction I examine the structure of the text to get the important content.

Chapter headings, topics, subheadings, etc are very important, but so are topic sentences. You can learn almost everything you need by just reading the first sentence in each paragraph. For more complicated texts, the last sentences in each paragraph might be necessary.

So, I will skim through, absorb these basic parts of the text. And then where my curiosity takes me I'll read in more depth, or where I'm confused, or where I just don't feel like I know enough.

The way to really remember these things are to consciously manipulate the information. What do the things that you're reading about me? What connections can you make? The more investment you have in the material, the more it will hold your attention.

__________________
Innominate.

sherpahigh

But have you really READ them?

Seriously though, sounds like you've got a good list there. What I find most important about comprehending stuff is to take breaks from it when you feel you need to. Some kind of physical activity during the breaks, weather walking around or push-ups or whatever helps me to get back into the right frame of mind to start up again.

__________________
"It'd be better for me if you don't understand"

Mephisto2

Taking notes, and/or simply physically writing down the major points, is key.

Not only are you repeating the points in your mind, but the act of writing them helps to fix them in your memory. It's another "medium" that helps you recall what you've read.

Of course, if you don't understand what you've read, remembering it will be of little use.

Mr Mephisto

gdr2004

Upon doing more research I've discovered that there is a way to increase your peripheral vision so that you may take in more text at a time, hence reducing the number of your eye fixations (stops that your eye will make to "Read" the words) and resulting in increased comprehension and faster reading. Any thoughts?