College ReadingCollege Reading & Active Reading& Active Reading

By Emanuel Hughley Jr.By Emanuel Hughley Jr.

Assistant professorAssistant professor of English and Journalism/Mass Communicationsof English and Journalism/Mass Communications

Cuyahoga Community CollegeCuyahoga Community College

Highland Hills OhioHighland Hills Ohio

College students’ main taskCollege students’ main task

• Students spend much of their time studying.– For every hour of lecture time students

commonly spend one to two hours completing reading assignments.

• All reading assignments fall into two categories. – Literal thinking reading assignments.– Critical thinking reading assignments.

Literal thinking readingLiteral thinking reading

• Textbook reading assignments• Students usually get these assignments

in courses like– psychology– history– anatomy and physiology– chemistry– information technology-related

courses.

Literal Thinking ReadingLiteral Thinking Reading

• Students’ goals– Learn facts

• to learn the meaning of specific terms• memorize dates and names• learn parts of different systems.

Critical thinking readingCritical thinking reading• Students are assigned this type of

reading assignments in these courses:– anthropology – English composition– literature– philosophy– political science – sociology

Critical ReadingCritical Reading

• Best suited for reading that emphasizes concepts rather than facts.– short stories and novels– magazine articles– editorials or opinion pieces

• Students’ goal– analyze authors’ concepts and opinions – determine if they agree with author’s views

Two reading strategiesTwo reading strategies• Two different kinds of reading assignments

need two different reading strategies.– A strategy for studying textbooks– A strategy for reading literature and opinion

pieces.• Use Active Reading for novels and short

stories, magazine articles and editorials.

• Understanding how to use these two strategies is the key to a student’s academic success.

• First, let’s examine SQ5R.

What is What is SQ5R?SQ5R?

What is What is SQ5R?SQ5R?

• A strategy for studying textbook chapters.– A way to learn more information in less

time.– Emphasizes three ways we learn

information.• Seeing• Hearing• Doing

What is SQ5R?What is SQ5R?• A study technique that develops literal

thinking skills.– Literal thinking skills

• Knowledge• Comprehension• Application

What is SQ5R?What is SQ5R?• Students use literal thinking skill to

retain information– You must know a fact;– You must comprehend or understand the

meaning of the fact;– You must apply that understanding in a

new situation.

SQ5R has seven stepsSQ5R has seven steps

• Survey

• Question

• Read

• Respond

• Record

• Recite

• Review

What happens when you What happens when you survey?survey?

• You read only the information that stands out.

What does that mean?What does that mean?

• Read the chapter’s title.

• Read the chapter’s preview summary.

• Read the titles of the chapter’s subdivisions.

• Read words in boldface type.

• Read words in italics.

• Look at photos and other graphics.

• Read the chapter’s concluding summary.

How does this help?How does this help?• After you have surveyed a textbook

chapter, you have a general idea what the chapter is about.

• You are ready for the next step: Question

What does What does Question Question mean?mean?

• Turn the chapter’s title into a question.

• Turn the chapter’s subdivision titles into questions.

Here’s an example:Here’s an example:

• What are parts of speech?

• Why do I need to understand parts of speech?

The chapter’s title is: “Understanding parts of speech”. What questions can you makeup for this title?

How does this help?How does this help?

• Helps you decide what information to look for.

• Gives you an idea where to find the information you need to learn.

• Prepares for the first R: Read

How should you read?How should you read?

• You don’t need to read the whole chapter.

• Only read enough to answer your question.

• Hint: Look for the key words of your question in the text following the title.

How does this help?How does this help?

• Now you know what the answer looks like.

What’s next?What’s next?

• Respond--say the answer out loud.

How does this help?How does this help?

• Now you hear what the answer sounds like.

What’s next?What’s next?

• Record--write the answer on a note card or in your notebook.

How does this help?How does this help?

• Now you know how writing the answer feels.

What’s the next step?What’s the next step?

• Recite-- Read the answer repeatedly until you have memorized it.

What’s next?What’s next?

• Review--Test yourself. See how much you learned by answering your questions without looking at your notes.

If you miss an answer?If you miss an answer?

• Find the answer in your notes.

• Back up one step.

• Recite the answer until you think you have memorized it.

• Repeat your review.

One size does not fit allOne size does not fit all

• All college reading assignments do not deal with just learning facts.

• Some college reading assignments require the students to do three additional intellectual feats.– Understand the author’s opinions – Determine whether they agree with

the author’s opinions– Explain why they agree or disagree.

One Size does not fit all . . . One Size does not fit all . . .

• This requires the strategy of Active Reading.– Click on this link– http://instruct.tri-c.edu/ehughle/JMC_2010

/JMC_2010_LECTURE_NOTES/Active_Reading2.ppt