3 Strategies for Reading Retention

 

                                                              1                  

Pre-read  to get your mind ready (warming up)

Look at titles, headings, pictures, the introduction, preview questions

Decide what you are going to be reading about

Think about anything you already know about the topic

Decide what you will probably need to know when you are finished

Estimate how long it will take to read it and make a plan for reading

Only 2-3 minutes

 

                                                               2         

Read actively to understand the content

Divide the reading into fairly small sections

Stop to restate in your own words to check understanding

Visualize

Compare and contrast with what you already know (from life, from text)

Ask questions wherever you don’t understand

Find answers

Identify what you need to remember

Make a study guide: mark 10% of text, mark margins, write a summary,

Make review cards, outline, write and answer test questions

 

                                                             3            

Review immediately after reading

Review again within 24 hours

Review briefly every few days

Ways to review:   data dump, shrinking summary, questions and answers, review cards, practice essays