Active Reading

Active and Passive Reading

Active reading is involved reading. Active readers differ from passive readers in several ways. Passive readers read words, but active readers read ideas. A passive reader's goal is to get finished. An active reader's goal is to learn something. Passive readers expect an author to do all the work, to motivate them and keep them interested. Active readers are self-motivated, and they take responsibility for arousing and maintaining their own interest in an author's topic. Passive readers read without thinking. As a result, their minds wander, and they cannot remember what they have read. Active readers think critically about the author's ideas. As a result, they are more likely to maintain concentration and remember what they have read. As you can see, active readers are involved in the process of reading. On the other hand, passive readers are detached from the reading process. Studies of reading comprehension show increased rates of comprehension for students who use active reading strategies. To improve your reading comprehension, become an active reader.

Active Reading Strategies

Identify the purpose of your reading. If youve chosen to read a text to learn something new or to be entertained, you already have a general sense about what youre trying to accomplish by reading. But why might your boss, colleague, client, instructor, or someone else ask you to read a text? Knowing the purpose of a reading assignment will help you focus your reading. Youll also know whether youll need to read the entire text carefully or whether you can skim or pass over some of the sections.

Formulate pre-reading questions. Before you begin to read, connect the topic to yourself and others. For example, ask: What do I already know about the topic? If the book was favorably reviewed or highly recommended, what did others say was helpful about it? If there are testimonial quotes on the book jacket, who gave those quotes and what did they say?

Survey the text. When picking up a book for the first time, review the introduction and the chapter headings. The introduction should let you know who the book is intended for and what it covers. Chapter headings will give you an overall view of the structure of the subject. Skim articles and blog posts, too, to see how theyre organized. How long is the text? Are there sections divided by subheadings? Do sidebars accompany the primary text? Knowing the basic structure of the text before you read it will help you anticipate the content and provide structure to your reading experience.

Connect your prior knowledge of the topic. You bring a wealth of knowledge and experience with you to the reading task. As you read, connect what you already know with the text.

Read with a pen in hand. Put down your highlighter and make marginal notes or comments instead, either with a pen or electronically. Every time you feel the urge to highlight a portion of text, write instead. You can summarize the text, ask questions, give assent, or even, protest vehemently. You can also write down key words or bookmark the text to help you recall where important points are discussed. As you write, strive to enter into a dialogue with the author.

Ask and answer your questions in a reading journal or on a separate piece of paper. Try changing the titles, subtitles, sections, sidebars, and paragraph headings into questions. Then answer them. For example, if you were writing a question about this article on active reading, you might ask and answer questions such as: What is active reading? Why should I be an active reader? How time-consuming would it be for me to be an active reader?

Write a summary of chapter or a portion of text in your own words. Do this in less than a page. Capture the essential ideas and perhaps one or two key points. This active reading strategy provides a great way for you to be sure that you know what the reading really says or is about.

Teach what youve learned to someone else. Teaching is one of the most effective ways to learn. If you try to explain aloud what youve been reading, youll transfer the information from your short-term to your long-term memory. Youll also discover quickly what you do and dont understand.

Read aloud sentences and portions of text that you are finding to be especially challenging. Speaking texts aloud will increase your reading comprehension.

Look for signposts as you read the text. Phrases such as most importantly, in contrast, and on the other hand indicate the relationship of one concept to another.

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