Page 298 - Learning to Learn

READING EXPERIENCE 10: READING FOR LEARNING
298 L EARNING TO LEARN: BECOMING A SELF-GROWER
Strategies and Tools for Increasing Reading Comprehension
Now that you have practiced basic reading strategies, we can move on to an even deeper connection with a
text: note-taking, comprehension, and using the knowledge you have gained. These strategies and tools are
a core part of the process of reading, especially academic reading, and part of the Reading Methodology
itself in the steps 6 through 9 (Outline, Quick Read,
Comprehensive Read, and Inquiry Questions) where you
are encouraged to take notes about and on the reading.
Put the date, main topic(s), the source and page number
at the top of your notes.
By putting this information at the top of your notes, it
will help keep your notes better organized and make
it easier when you review and study the material in
the future. When you have many pages of notes, it
is helpful to number and date the pages. If you are
taking notes from materials other than your textbook, you should clearly identify the source. In the
case of other books, identify the title of a book, author, publisher, place, and date of publication. In the
case of a journal or magazine article, identify the title, author, and name and date (including number)
of the journal.
Organize your notes according to the topic rather than the source.
When you reread your notes, all the material about a topic should be in one place. This is especially
useful when your notes come from several different sources such as lectures, textbooks, magazine and
journal articles, and Internet sites.
Note-taking fromWritten Text
Since so much of note-taking involves reading, you’ll notice that many parts of the Reading Methodology
itself can be applied to the process of note-taking.
Skim
Before starting to take notes, skim the pages to get an overview of what is being presented by the
author. By looking for the subheadings, you can obtain a mental outline of the reading. Notice items
printed in bold or italics, for they may give you cues to important information you should know. Using
these cues helps you focus on the most important information and avoid copying too much material
from a text.
Outline Basic Structure and Complete the Outline
Many people find using an inset system for outlining major and minor points works best for them.
With this method, the main heading often in uppercase capital letters, is placed at the margin. The next
subheading(s) is (are) indented or inset away from the left margin. The less important the subheading,
the further away it is from the left margin. The next main heading is placed back at the margin, and the
system follows the same pattern for the next subheading(s) and so on.