Another year means another reading list. Yay!

…Okay, so maybe you don’t enjoy school books as much as I do. Regardless, discerning reading material is essential for optimal comprehension. Below are some tips for reading critically that go beyond the SAT.

First things first, for short passages and nonfiction literature, identify the main point (= opinion = position = central claim = thesis), and then skim the rest (read topic sentences) to see how author supports the idea.
For fiction, separate the main idea from the details. Boil down the main idea into a few, easily remembered words.
For all school books, flip through when you get them (even before you are assigned to read), and get the lay of the land.
Then, look for the book’s main idea signposts:

— The title — tells you the main theme — what it’s about / not about.

— Table of contents — tells you the grand plan and ultimate goal, broken down in steps. This is a skeleton of the book. Notice relationships between the chapters and where you will be starting and ending (just like we did for the articles).

— The index — major topics in book, arranged alphabetically. Good for referring to when you want to find something specific (for example, fractions).

— Introduction — personal message from the author that tells why the book should be important to you.

Once you are assigned to read the book, preview the chapter, honing in on those particular page’s signposts, then read for main idea + supporting details:

Specific chapter signposts:

— Chapter title

— Section headings

— Paragraph heads

— Introductory paragraphs

— Summary paragraphs (the end)

— Topic sentences

— Illustrations

— Margin titles

Lastly, assuming you’ll receive papers throughout the reading, write outlines! Outlines are your best friend. Always write them — for papers, studying, etc. Trust me…You will have a lot easier a time with everything if you organize yourself from the get-go.

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