Columbus State Writing Center Repository: Reading Strategies

Strategy: Review the Guidelines / Speak with the Instructor

We review guidelines provided by our Instructor to identify our purpose for reading (e.g., to retain information, to gather evidence, to analyze). When seeking clarification for an assignment and/or a text’s context and content, we speak with the Instructor.

Strategy: Think Aloud / Ask Questions

We ask questions to build our interest for reading and to help us form an initial response to the text.

Questions to ask:

• "What do I think this is about?"
• "What is grabbing my attention?"
• "How do I plan to navigate through the text?"

We think aloud as we write out our answers. We might discuss our answers with the Instructor or a Learning Support Specialist/an Academic Support Lead from the Writing Center.

Strategy: Find the Reading Setting

Before we start reading, we will want to find a setting suitable for our reading needs. The setting should allow us to read comfortably with little to no distractions.

Strategy: Preview the Text

We preview the text to become familiar with its vocabulary, sentence structure, and organization. We can also learn how to put the text into our own terms (e.g., break it down into parts or concepts).

Strategy: Make a Plan / Set Stopping Points

We make a plan for notetaking and/or repair, which means we set stopping points. Stopping points can come from a reading schedule or from elements within the text (e.g., headings, subheadings, major concepts, graphics).

Strategy: Visit the Writing Center

We visit the Writing Center to discuss the assignment guidelines going into the reading and/or to learn about reading strategies for getting through the reading.

Strategy: Take Breaks, Take Notes

We take breaks to maintain stamina and take notes. When taking notes, we circle, underline, highlight, annotate off to the side, or do all of these things.

Notes can be in a PDF, a Word document, or a notebook. (Below are links to different methods of notetaking while reading.)

Strategy: Repair / Ask Questions

When pausing from reading, we can repair our comprehension and/or our motivation:

• Think aloud about our concerns and ask questions (e.g., “What is giving me difficulty?”)
• Define unfamiliar terms/concepts
• Discuss the text with others (e.g, the Instructor or Learning Support Specialist/Academic Support Lead)
• Use self-statements (e.g., “This is challenging, but I’ll get through it.”)

Strategy: Revisit Guidelines and Notes / Assess Comprehension of the Text

After reading, we revisit the assignment guidelines and our notes (annotations, outlines, concept maps, etc.). This is to assess our comprehension of the text and make a note of any areas we still have questions about.

Strategy: Reflect / Ask Questions

We reflect on our experience with the text (e.g., compose a summary, evaluate the rhetorical situation, write a personal response).

We continue to ask questions about the text:

• “What is the main idea?”
• “How effective is it for the author’s intended audience?”
• “What examples stood out?”

Strategy: Consult with the Instructor

We consult with the Instructor to clarify details of the assignment and/or the assigned text.

Strategy: Visit the Writing Center

We visit the Writing Center for assistance in crafting a response, integrating evidence, and/or developing our analysis for a writing project.

Annotating in Word

Amy Whitson gives instructions for annotating a text in Word, which is a strategy we can use to put the text into our own terms or make note of information we want to come back to at a later time.

Concept Mapping

Cornell University explains concept mapping, which is a note-taking technique that can be used to retain information from a reading (e.g., terms or definitions from a textbook, lecture slides).

Textbook Reading Systems

Cornell University also has a handout on reading systems that we can use when reading from a textbook.