Study Well by Reading
Can't concentrate when you read? Do you feel that the words go through your eyes and out your ears? Here is how to study well when reading.
Steps
- Get all materials. If you want to study properly, don't just bring your book. You will need a notebook and pencils, pens and highlighters. This will help you pay more attention when reading rather than reading passively.
- Read it once. During this, read for content. Try to understand the overall message or story. Put a * with a pencil when you read something that you think is important, rare, or stands out. If you want, just read a page at a time.
- Read it again. This time, read over, and see if the points with the * are still that important. If they are, Highlight them. There should be no more than 10 lines on a page that is highlighted. The highlighted points would help you find important quotes or sentences when you need them later on, or to study for exams. This way, you can skip reading it again, and only have to read the highlighted important points.
- Take notes. Pull out your notebook and summarize what you read. Try to make it as short and precise as possible. You can make jot notes or a paragraph, which ever is easier for you to read later on.
- Study. You already read through the passage twice and used your own mind to rewrite and make notes, so it should be stuck in your head. But remember to review every 2-3 days to make sure you don't forget.
- Review. After reading comes the most important step–recollection. Recollection is what you get grades or marks for. Be prepared to give a thorough and detailed answer to the question, "What have you read?" If you can remember it now you will most likely remember it later. Your brain is like a muscle; you need to train it to do the job by doing it again and again. After all, you did not learn to run without learning to walk. You have learned your mother tongue by repeating again and remembering the use and meaning of every word you have heard from anyone around you.
Tips
- After you finished making your final notes, pretend you are a professor and teach your imaginary class. Say whatever you can from memory, and if you must, go back. This can also tell you what you have down and what you have to study more.
- If you must, read out loud. Sometimes hearing yourself say it makes it easier to memorize it.
- Avoid any distractions. Don't read for 2 minutes and text for 2 minutes. Your mind must be 100% on what you are reading.
- Do not procrastinate. If you have a week to do a reading, start right away. Don't wait until next week or you will have more readings to do, and be more discouraged. Get it out of the way and chill later.
- If you want to learn effectively, prepare your note first.
- Highlighting sentences can help the valuable information stick out to you.
- Concentrate on the text you are reading.
- Discuss the text or overall message with a friend or a classmate, particularly someone on the same page so you can relate and understand the situation better. Be sure to test each other to improve memory of what was just read.
