Active Reading for Effective Learning

1. Purpose-Driven Reading: Active Reading for Effective Learning

2. Objectives • To highlight common reading problems • To suggest productive methods of reading at University level • To provide tips for improving memory of read material

3. Which of these apply to you? Problems with vision Procrastination Fatigue Time Boredom Impatience Amount of reading Can’t remember what I’ve read Surroundings Issues: Speed Comprehension Motivation Synthesis Text marking Memory Common Reading Problems

4. Purpose-Driven Reading Academic Reading is • Purposeful • Selective • Relevant

5. Overview Becoming a purposeful, active reader • 4 steps • Preview & survey • Question • Read & write • Review & assimilate

6. Getting started… You & Your Physical Environment How am I feeling? Am I awake and alert, or am I tired, hungry, or sleepy? Does my physical environment: (a) encourage concentration, (b) facilitate good posture, and (c) stimulate a ready-to-work attitude?

7. Purpose-Driven Reading Define your purpose for reading. Are you reading for… • main ideas? • background knowledge? • specific information for an assignment?

8. Goal-Setting Set reasonable goals in terms of • Time limits • Task limits Vary your reading speed to achieve your purpose.

9. Getting into the text… Previewing/Surveying Purpose: • To get an overview • To gauge difficulty level • To estimate time needed to cover the reading

10. How to Preview • Look at the highlights • Skim through the material quickly Suggested reading rate: >800 wpm

11. Preview fast Why? • Many courses = many readings • Reading too slowly will make you lose track of the flow of ideas.

12. Why do we read so slowly? • What prevents us from being able to read fast? • Eye movements • FONt size • Concentration • Level of difficulty • How do we get past these barriers?

13. Your mind is quicker than you think! Paris in the the springtime

14. Your mind is quicker than you think! Paris in the the springtime

15. Getting into the text… Questioning Purpose: • To provide a sense of focus, and to direct your reading.

16. Getting into the text… Reading & Note-Taking Purpose: • To process the information, and ensure in-depth understanding • To help you maintain attention (i.e., stay awake!) and to think • To mark the material for future study

17. Be an active reader! • Think: how is the reading answering the questions you have raised? Suggested reading rate: 100-300 wpm Active reading

18. Finding the main point What’s the point? • To introduce • To describe • To compare • To explain

19. Highlighting to the point Avoid the Picasso mentality!

20. Poor highlighting Poor highlighting: Excessive highlighting is not a good way to emphasize important ideas in the text. In fact, many learning specialists believe that by highlighting too much, you simply are putting off learning as you “paint” the textbook with your favorite color.

21. Poor highlighting - Example Physics in the Nineteenth Century Diane Greco, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Eastgate Systems Marked by an ever-increasing emphasis on quantification and by a search for mathematical laws to describe observed phenomena, the nineteenth century encompassed a distinctive phase in physics research (or, to use period terminology, natural philosophy) both in Britain and on the Continent. This period witnessed the rise of the laboratory and of sophisticated techniques and technologies for measuring and eliciting phenomena, as well as the establishment of large institutes (such as the Physikalische-Technische Reichsanstalt in Berlin) to conduct physical research both for the state and -- often indirectly -- for private concerns. Although the final conceptual aim was to create a unified physics -- that is, to create a set of fundamental laws governing all physical phenomena -- physics also served the commercial, military, and political needs of different burgeoning and expanding industrial nations. Adapted from http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/natureslaw/ history/reference.html

22. Poor highlighting - Example Physics in the Nineteenth Century Diane Greco, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Eastgate Systems Marked byan ever-increasing emphasis on quantification and by a search for mathematical laws to describe observed phenomena, the nineteenth centuryencompassed a distinctive phase in physics research(or, to use period terminology,natural philosophy) both inBritain and on the Continent. This period witnessed therise of the laboratory and of sophisticated techniques and technologies for measuring and eliciting phenomena, as well as the establishment of large institutes (such as the Physikalische-Technische Reichsanstalt in Berlin) to conduct physical research both for the state and -- often indirectly -- for private concerns. Although the final conceptual aim was to create a unified physics-- that is, to create a set of fundamental laws governing all physical phenomena -- physicsalso served the commercial, military, and political needs of different burgeoning and expanding industrial nations. Adapted from http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/natureslaw/ history/reference.html

23. What is good highlighting?   Good highlighting is done on key words or phrases only, or on the parts of the text that don’t make sense. That way you can come back later and quickly identify the section on which you need to place additional effort.

24. Good highlighting - Example Good highlighting is done onkey words or phrasesonly,oron thepartsof the textthat don’t make sense. That way you can come back later andquickly identifythe section on which you need to placeadditional effort.

25. Good highlighting – Example 2 Physics in the Nineteenth Century Diane Greco, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Eastgate Systems Marked by anever-increasing emphasis on quantification andby asearch for mathematical lawsto describe observed phenomena, the nineteenth century encompassed a distinctive phase in physics research (or, to use period terminology, natural philosophy) both in Britain and on the Continent. This period witnessed therise ofthelaboratoryand ofsophisticated techniques and technologiesfor measuring and eliciting phenomena, as well as theestablishment of large institutes(such as the Physikalische-Technische Reichsanstalt in Berlin)to conduct physical researchboth for the state and -- often indirectly -- for private concerns. Although the final conceptual aim was tocreate a unified physics-- that is, to create a set of fundamental laws governing all physical phenomena -- physicsalsoserved the commercial, military, and political needsof different burgeoningand expanding industrial nations. Adapted from http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/natureslaw/ history/reference.html

26. Making margin notes What to write? main idea Section summary examples ??Questions?? Specialised vocab & definitions !!Reactions!!

27. Drawing up a summary • Draw a summary that captures the main point and the flow of ideas • Outlines • Mind-maps • Fishbone diagrams

28. Getting out of the text… Reviewing Purpose: • To remember key points • To monitor comprehension • To consolidate old and new knowledge

29. Reading & Remembering • Relate facts/issues • Think deeper • Review New New

30. Read, Listen, Re-read Read to SURVEY Listen to LECTURE Re-read to SUPPLEMENT

31. Readings & Lectures Supplementary readings • Prioritise • Is material covered in lectures? • How important is it? • What can you add to your notes? • Discussion groups

32. Purpose-Driven Reading … Summary Skim through quickly To get an overview Survey Turn headings into questions To focus reading Question To find the flow and main point, and annotate for future study Highlight, take margin notes, do summary/ concept map Read/ Note To assimilate new knowledge with old, for understanding & retention Review Test yourself, read through notes again

33. In the end… The PURPOSE-DRIVEN reader is… • Alert and flexible • An active reader • An effective learner

34. On purpose… “What we read with inclination makes a much stronger impression. If we read without inclination, half the mind is employed in fixing the attention; so there is but one half to be employed on what we read."--Samuel Johnson Happy Reading!