Learning path · 5 steps
Read More Effectively
Preview, read with a purpose, annotate lightly, summarize and then test yourself.
Good for: Students who read a lot and still feel they do not retain much.
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Previewing Before You Read: A Two-Minute Map
Get the map before the trip.
Previewing means skimming headings, images and summaries before you read. See how a two-minute scan can set up your reading, plus its limits.
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The SQ3R Method: Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review
A classic structure for textbook reading.
SQ3R is a five-step plan for reading textbooks: survey, question, read, recite, review. Learn the steps, a worked example and what research does not show.
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Annotating While Reading: Write Back to the Text
Mark less, think more.
Annotating means marking and commenting on a text as you read. Learn which marks help, which do not, and how to try it safely without overdoing it.
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Summarizing After Reading: Say It Short in Your Words
Put the idea in your own words.
Summarizing means closing the text and writing the main ideas in your own words. See how to do it well, where it fails and how to check your work.
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Active Recall: Study by Pulling Information Out of Memory
Check what you remember.
Active recall means testing yourself instead of rereading. Learn what it is, when it fits, how to apply it step by step, and where it falls short.
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