IN MY FRESHMAN AND sophomore years of college, I read dozens of books by the great thinkers of Western civilization. From Plato to Nietzsche, Homer to Shakespeare—you name it, I read it. At times it drove me crazy—picture reading hundreds of pages that sound like this every week: “All rational knowledge is either material and concerned with some object, or formal and concerned only with the form of understanding and of reason themselves and with the universal rules of thought in general without regard to differences of its objects.” Come again, Kant?
Nevertheless, these classes were the most meaningful and rewarding of my entire academic career. I learned new ways of thinking and gained a deeper appreciation for the culture I live in. Perhaps just as importantly, I learned how to think about what I read. This is one of the most important parts of a well-rounded education, but it’s a skill that many students fail to learn.
Whether you’re faced with a biology textbook or Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, there are certain steps you should follow to get the most out of your reading. The first step is to engage in a little prereading warm-up. When you’re given an assignment, don’t just dive into it blindly—start by getting a sense of what the piece is about. Prep your brain by looking at things like headings, subheadings, captions, diagrams, introductions, conclusions, and end-of-chapter summaries. (Don’t worry about giving away the ending.) If your teacher gave you questions about the reading, review them now so you can keep an eye out for the answers. Think of it as looking at a map to orient yourself in a new city.
One popular prereading technique is to turn headings into questions. For example, a section in your astronomy textbook called “The Origins of the Universe” would become “What are the origins of the universe?” Like a reporter, you’re looking for the who, what, where, why, and when of every story. Do this for every heading or subheading in the assigned reading, and write them on a piece of paper. Preparing questions will give you a sense of what’s to come; and when you start reading, it’ll help you stay focused since you’re looking for answers instead of giving every word equal weight. These questions also make excellent study aids, so keep them in a safe place until it’s time to review.
When you read for fun, you probably go from beginning to end without pausing, writing, or questioning what the author says. This is exactly what you should not do when reading for school. As with studying, it pays to be active rather than passive. Interacting with the book will help you get more out of it. Treat it like a person you’re having a conversation with—ask questions, make it repeat things, challenge it, talk back to it. The discussion may be one-sided, but it’ll make you more aware of what you’re reading.
When you come across a particularly difficult line or passage, stop and say it in your own words. If you get stuck, go over the part that’s giving you trouble. (It often helps to read out loud.) When the author describes an event or process, visualize it in your head.
One of the most powerful techniques for active reading is taking notes. Your notes are brief reminders of what you’re reading and what you’re thinking as you read. They should be much simpler and sparser than your lecture notes—each one no more than a couple of words or phrases—since you can always look at the text for clarification. The goal is to summarize anything that’s important: big ideas, sub-points, arguments, causes, explanations, and so on. If you’re reading something with a plot, you should also make note of key events. Last but not least, include your own thoughts and reactions to the text. (More on this later.)
If you come across a paragraph or page where nearly everything seems important, don’t go crazy taking notes. Just put a star next to it, draw a bracket from the beginning to the end of the important text, and add a word or two on what it’s about. It’s better to reread the original than make notes that are as long as the text itself. If it’s something you’ll want to refer to a lot, write a few words on the edge of a Post-it note explaining what it is, and leave this note sticking out so you can see it. You’ll be able to find and flip to what you need in seconds.
One of the most important things I learned to do in school was to challenge authority—or at least, authority in the form of books and articles. Although this isn’t so important for textbooks, it’s crucial when reading works of literature, political and philosophical treatises, persuasive essays, and much, much more. As you’re reading, ask yourself questions like:
• Do you agree or disagree with what the author’s saying, and why?
• Why is the author writing this? What are some possible motives or biases? What were the conditions (historical, socioeconomic, political) under which the author was writing?
• How does this point support the author’s argument? Are there weaknesses or flaws in the argument?
• What assumptions does the author make? What does he or she take for granted?
• What are the broader implications of the author’s argument?
• How does the author use language to affect, persuade, or manipulate the reader?
• How does this book compare to others you’ve read for this class?
• How does it compare to what’s been discussed in class? Does it exemplify or break away from certain themes you’ve seen throughout the term?
• How could what the author’s saying be applied to the present day?
Your answers to these questions should become part of your notes. If you find a hole in the author’s argument, note this next to the relevant text. If a passage reminds you of something else you read, write down “similar to [fill in the blank].” If you think that what someone wrote hundreds or thousands of years ago could be applied to contemporary society, write that down, too. Your thoughts are valuable; they deserve a place next to the printed word.
So what’s the point of taking notes when you have the text right in front of you? Three words: reinforcement, review, and reference.
1. Reinforcement: Have you ever spent hours poring over an extremely dense, complicated text, only to reach the end and realize you have no idea what you just read? Well, notes can help prevent this embarrassing situation. Taking them forces you to think about what you’re reading, while going over them helps you remember it.
2. Review: Look over your notes before classes where you have to discuss the reading so you can remember what you want to say. During exam time, instead of rereading the whole book or searching for the important bits, you can glance at your notes to quickly refresh your memory. Your notes can also indicate which passages deserve a second, or third, or fourth look before a test.
3. Reference: If you have to discuss the readings in class or for a paper, let your notes be your guide. Let’s say your teacher tells you to turn to page 65 and discuss the meaning of the “noble savage” in Rousseau’s Discourse on the Origin of Inequality. So you turn to that page and instead of having to reread some of the densest language you’ve ever seen, your notes remind you straight away that the noble savage exists between nature and civilization and is the happiest state of man. Boom! Your hand shoots up while the rest of your classmates are still trying to skim the impenetrable text.
If you own the book, you should write your notes in the margins rather than on loose-leaf paper or the computer. You don’t want to keep moving your eyes, hands, and attention from one place to another; writing in the book helps minimize these costly breaks in concentration. It’s also easier to refer back to the original text if your notes are right next to it. In most cases, you’re going to be sitting in class with the book in front of you, discussing specific passages. Having everything in one place makes it easier to follow along and participate.
If you don’t own the book or the margins aren’t wide enough, write your notes on Post-its and stick them next to the relevant text. Or you can photocopy the readings and mark them up however you like. If you do write your notes on a separate piece of paper, though, be sure to include the title and page numbers for easy reference.
In addition to writing in the margin, you should also mark up the text as you read. Circle or underline definitions, key terms, and words that signify a point is being made—such as “however,” “nevertheless,” “moreover,” “in addition,” “more importantly,” “thus,” “therefore,” “as we can see,” and “because.” This helps you slow down when you’re reading important passages and makes it easier to locate them when you’re reviewing.
If the author is listing things such as causes, arguments, examples, or ideas, number each item to make it easier to keep track. You should also put question marks next to sections you don’t understand. When you’re finished with the reading, see if these parts are any clearer. If not, write down your questions on a piece of paper and ask your teacher or TA about them later.
If you’re reading a scholarly article—one that comes from an academic journal—keep an eye out for the thesis (the main argument of the piece). This isn’t always easy to spot, as most academics don’t conveniently put it at the end of the intro. Usually the first few paragraphs will build up to it. When you do find the thesis, circle or underline the whole thing and make sure you can explain it in your own words. As you read through the article, number each point supporting the thesis to make them stand out.
The final part of the reading process is to do something with what you’ve read—summarize it, draw conclusions, ask questions, apply the formulas you learned, and so on. Your teacher will usually supply you with an exercise asking you to do just that. But if not, take some time to reflect on the reading. Make a three- or four-line summary, and write down any thoughts or questions you have about the text as a whole. Ask yourself what the author’s main idea is. For a math or science book, do a few practice problems on what you just read. If you made questions out of the headings back in the prereading stage, now’s the time to make sure you can answer them.
Let’s take a look at this paragraph from John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty. This text is so dense that it can go in one eye and out the other, but taking notes will help it stay in your head. I’ve included my thought process in italics, as well as some questions you could ask yourself while you’re reading. My sample notes are in the margins.
Ebooks may be fine for reading a novel on the beach, but they’ve got a long way to go when it comes to the classroom. The best readers physically interact with their books—writing in the margins, circling key passages, dog-earing pages, slapping on Post-it notes, picking up other books for comparison, and so on. According to recent studies, devices such as ebook readers and iPads don’t yet have the flexibility to accommodate these advanced reading techniques.
In 2009, a number of schools including Reed College, the University of Washington, and Princeton University gave students the Amazon Kindle DX to use in their classes. Although Reed students and faculty felt the device had a lot of potential, most reported that it couldn’t take the place of regular books due to issues with pdf formatting, page refresh rate, the inability to display multiple texts, and difficulties with highlighting and annotation.65 University of Washington researchers noted that the Kindle also disrupted cognitive mapping, a technique in which readers use the physical location of the text to recall where they read it and retain information.66
While recent studies of the iPad in academia have been more favorable, there are still plenty of drawbacks. Students said the device helped them feel connected and made learning more interesting, but a focus group at the University of Notre Dame reported the following problems:
• Annotated highlighting leaves much to be desired.
• Typing or hand-writing notes on the device is difficult.
• Since windows cannot be opened side by side, it’s hard to multitask.
• It’s a pain to flip back and forth between pages of a book.
• The screen creates glare.67
So for serious reading, you may want to skip the technology and stick with the real thing for now.
In addition to knowing how to read, you’ve also got to think about when to read. Your goal as a student should be to get the most out of your reading in the shortest time possible. A lot of people (your teachers included) will tell you to always do the readings before class. But the truth of the matter is, if you follow their advice, you may not have time for much else—homework, papers, extracurriculars, or sleep.
That’s why you must plan your readings wisely. Think about what you’ll be doing with this information. Will you need it for class, or can it wait until after you’ve heard the teacher discuss it? In situations like the following, you should do the readings before the bell rings:
• If you’re expected to answer questions about or discuss the readings in class. This is particularly true of seminars and discussion sections, but some lectures will require participation, too. You’d better come prepared when your teacher is evaluating you based on what you say. Even here, though, be selective about what you read. If you have multiple textbooks, does your teacher focus on one more than the other(s)? Are some texts required while others are optional? Did your teacher ask questions that focus on specific parts of the reading?
• If your teacher may give you a pop quiz on the reading. Some teachers warn you in the beginning of the term that they’ll do this dastardly deed; others don’t. You should do the readings before class until you know where your teacher falls on the pop-quiz meter.
• If the readings are short and provide good background for the lecture. Case in point: the PowerPoint presentations many teachers post online before class.
• If you’re taking a lab. Always read the instructions before setting foot in the laboratory. You’ll need all the time you can get to perform your experiments.
• If you know the teacher is going to discuss something really specific—like a case study, a math problem, or a passage from a text. Review it before class.
In most other situations, however, it’s better to attend class first and do the readings second. There are two major reasons for this.
• Reading something after it’s been discussed in class makes it easier to digest. Think of it this way: the amount of time you spend in class is fixed, but the number of hours you spend reading is variable. If your teacher explains something well enough in class, you’ll be able to get through the readings much faster than you would have without this introduction—or you may not have to do them at all!
• I’ll let you in on a little secret: in most classes, you don’t have to read everything. By waiting until the teacher gives you hints about which parts are important, you can make an informed decision about what to read. Cut down your study time by paying extra attention to the passages or chapters that were discussed in class, and skimming or skipping those that weren’t.
Now don’t get me wrong—if you can do all the readings before class, that’s great, you get a gold star. But this is often the ideal rather than the reality. In college, it’s not uncommon to have hundreds of pages of reading each week. You’ll go crazy if you try to read every single word, and you probably won’t absorb very much.
Do you get tongue-tied in the classroom? Have you done the readings but still don’t know what to say? In some classes—particularly seminars in college—participation will count for a lot of your grade, so it’s important to make your voice heard. Remember that it’s okay if you don’t have something brilliant to say; if you’ve got an idea, don’t keep it to yourself. Your teacher will appreciate the effort, and you may find that your input was more insightful than you thought.
Show that you’ve done the reading by making your comments detailed and specific; if you’re discussing a text, strengthen your argument by quoting a line or passage. This is when having taken notes in the margins really pays off. Use them as a guide to quickly find the point you want to talk about.
Here’s an easy way to make smart contributions: when you review your notes before class, pick the best ones and write them down in your notebook. Keep them in reserve for when your teacher asks the class for comments. If you think of something to say while someone else is talking, make a quick note so you don’t forget it and can concentrate on the discussion.
Asking questions is another simple way to get participation credit. It can be about something you’re not sure of or a question that invites discussion. Make sure it’s insightful, though, not just “So…what’d you all think of the book?”
Last but not least, don’t forget to have fun! Courses in which you get to discuss and challenge readings are the highlights of many people’s classroom careers. When else will you get to dump on Freud for his theories about the subconscious or debate Platonic realism or defend Catherine for marrying Edgar in Wuthering Heights? This is your chance to be an intellectual.
Take notes on the following excerpt from Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, as translated by Henry Reeve, using the techniques described in this chapter.70 Mark up the text as you read and write your comments—questions, ideas, and summary—in the margins.
Another remark, to which we shall hereafter have occasion to recur, is applicable not only to the English, but to the French, the Spaniards, and all the Europeans who successively established themselves in the New World. All these European colonies contained the elements, if not the development, of a complete democracy. Two causes led to this result. It may safely be advanced, that on leaving the mother-country the emigrants had in general no notion of superiority over one another. The happy and the powerful do not go into exile, and there are no surer guarantees of equality among men than poverty and misfortune. It happened, however, on several occasions, that persons of rank were driven to America by political and religious quarrels. Laws were made to establish a gradation of ranks; but it was soon found that the soil of America was opposed to a territorial aristocracy. To bring that refractory land into cultivation, the constant and interested exertions of the owner himself were necessary; and when the ground was prepared, its produce was found to be insufficient to enrich a master and a farmer at the same time. The land was then naturally broken up into small portions, which the proprietor cultivated for himself. Land is the basis of an aristocracy, which clings to the soil that supports it; for it is not by privileges alone, nor by birth, but by landed property handed down from generation to generation, that an aristocracy is constituted. A nation may present immense fortunes and extreme wretchedness, but unless those fortunes are territorial there is no aristocracy, but simply the class of the rich and that of the poor.
List three things you could say about the text in class. These can be ideas that occurred to you or questions you had.
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