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Improving reading Comprehension Skills in College

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Improving reading Comprehension Skills in College

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by

Tessa Cooper

Tessa Cooper is a freelance writer and editor who regularly contributes to international and regional publications focused on education and lifestyle topics. She earned a bachelor's in public relations from Missouri State University and is passionate...

Learn about our editorial process.

Updated September 19, 2023 · 0 Min Read

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Improving Your Reading Comprehension

Have you ever caught yourself reading on autopilot? Like operating a car, reading becomes second nature, and you might find yourself not fully comprehending the text's whole meaning. However, reading without comprehension may occur even more subtly. You may read through a paragraph, think you understand it at the moment, but then immediately forget what it said.

To fully succeed in college, you need reading comprehension strategies. Utilizing these methods will help prepare you for test day. Reading also exposes college students to new viewpoints, helping them form arguments and choose credible sources.

Below, we discuss common challenges students face when reading, as well as strategies, techniques, and how to improve reading speed.

College-Level Reading Challenges

Reading academic texts, primary sources, and white papers requires flexibility. Readers must adapt their comprehension skills to different writing styles and topics. For example, when reading through a biology text, learners should pay attention to how the text relates to the study of living organisms. However, for a sociology text, readers should comprehend it through the lens of social relationships and interactions among individuals.

A heavy reading load also challenges college students, as professors do not account for lengthy reading requirements in other classes. As such, learners should practice time management skills. Attempting to read large quantities of text in one night does not set a person up for success.

Become a Time Pessimist

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Certain texts challenge some students more than others. It takes time to learn economic jargon or math formulas. Do not shy away from writing down words you do not understand, and then move on. Come back to these words later and search for their meanings. Context clues often hint at the definition too.

Although we briefly discussed some tips for reading challenges in this section, we delve deeper into effective college reading strategies in the next section.

Effective College Reading Strategies

A quick Google search offers various types of reading comprehension tips. With so many resources available, it may feel overwhelming. Additionally, not every strategy works for every student. Start by implementing these nine methods for active reading first before attempting more specific reading strategies, which we discuss in a later section.

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How to Improve Reading Speed and Comprehension

To keep up with course demands while fulfilling other life responsibilities, individuals must practice their speed reading skills. However, reading too quickly without comprehension strategies does not usually yield successful results. In the following sections, we discuss five-speed reading methods that help students.

Since most people have been reading since age five, many readers can think about other things while they speed read. However, a person must stay entirely focused on a text for complete comprehension, and anyone can train themselves to concentrate better and avoid multitasking. Reading quickly may prevent a mind from wandering, so speed reading can lead to better overall comprehension. Iris Reading offers a free comprehension and memory course to help learners develop both speed reading and comprehension skills.

For starters, skimming a textbook helps prevent information overload. Additionally, sometimes a student simply cannot avoid cramming before an exam due to scheduling conflicts. Consider utilizing a skimming technique, like pointer finger reading. A school teacher popularized this reading method in the 1950s when she discovered gliding her finger across words allowed her to read 2,700 words per minute. Students may also benefit from previewing a text by skimming before doing a thorough reading.

While most textbook editors design the publication for front-to-back reading, reading from back-to-front presents a few benefits. For starters, most chapters include a summary section. Reading this part first allows a learner to capture the essential information while their mind still feels fresh.

Additionally, textbook chapters typically include practice questions at the end. Glancing over these first offers hints at what to pay close attention to while reading.

This method for enhanced reading comprehension considers that memory involves three components. These components include impression, association, and repetition. When something makes an impression on a person, they likely remember it. An individual can increase a reading's impression on them by forming a mental image and exaggerating the scene in a shocking, memorable way.

For association, readers should try and form connections about details that relate to their everyday life. To remember a date, a reader could relate it to a friend's birthday. To utilize repetition, a reader should simply reread assignments.

Francis P. Robinson, an American educational psychologist, discovered this reading comprehension method in 1946. The acronym stands for survey, question, read, recite, and review. To utilize this method, learners should first skim headings, pictures, and bold words. Then, they should write down initial questions. Next comes the reading stage, which should fill in gaps and answer questions from the previous sections. Finally, reading aloud and then reviewing the sections further solidifies the acquired knowledge.

Coordinator of Instructional Services, Niagara University's Academic Success Center

Expert Q&A: Tips to Set Yourself Up for Success

Q. How is reading in college different from reading in high school?

There's a lot more of it, and it has to be done, rather than simply should be done. In high school, there's a lot of memorizing facts. In college, it's different. If a professor assigns something, you're expected to read it. What I've been hearing from students is that when they were in high school, the teacher would assign a book and no one would read it.

So, the teacher would wind up reading aloud to the class. When that happens, students don't get the practice, they don't get the exposure to language, and they don't get the time to read and reflect. If they don't have the practice, and they don't have the exposure, they may give up easily. If students get frustrated and they just give up, it affects their confidence and their self-esteem.

Q. What's the biggest challenge for students moving up to college-level reading?

Many students just haven't practiced. If students haven't read much before college, their background knowledge is limited. There's a significant drop-off in newspaper reading. That's a problem because the more you read, the more language you're exposed to. I've read about students spelling valedictorian as "valid Victorian." They've never seen the word before. It almost doesn't matter what you read as long as you read. People who don't want to read Hemingway might be able to read "Fifty Shades of Grey." Some people will say, "That's kind of trashy." I don't care if it's trashy. Practicing makes you better.

Q. What's the biggest reading mistake students make?

There are a few. Avoidance of reading is a big problem. Some of it occasionally has to do with a learning disability. Some of it has to do with attention span. Most students just haven't had the practice. Reading is a skill you build up over time. Another one is that students will see unfamiliar words, and they just skip over them without looking up the words. They admit it. I tell them, "You're walking around with a dictionary in your pocket. Why don't you just look up the word on your phone?" But if students don't know what the word means, they miss a lot of meaning, and that translates into errors on tests.

Q. Some material is going to be difficult for anyone, even avid readers. Say my professor assigns a complicated legal argument or a highly technical paper. How do I approach the assignment?

Attitude is very important. If you're going to read something difficult, just tell yourself, "This is going to be the best thing I've ever read." Keep an open mind, and stay positive. Break it up into chunks. Take a break - get up and move around every few minutes. Not everything is going to be fun. Keep your ultimate goal in mind. A lot of students are in college because they want good jobs, and when you're in the workplace, you're going to have to read things you're not crazy about - whether it's technical material, correspondence, or annual reports. I tell students, "Welcome to adulthood. Sometimes you have to do things you're not crazy about."

Q. How about note-taking while reading? What tactics should students use?

Too many students want to highlight. Highlighting is OK, but it can be coloring after a while. Writing a little summary in the margin is much more effective because it forces you to put the material in your own words. If you realize you can't summarize a section, that tells you to go back and read it again.

Reading Comprehension Tools and Resources

Tessa Cooper

Tessa Cooper is a freelance writer and editor who regularly contributes to international and regional publications focused on education and lifestyle topics. She earned a bachelor's in public relations from Missouri State University and is passionate about helping learners avoid high student loan debt while pursuing their dream major. Tessa loves writing about travel and food topics and is always planning her next meal or vacation.

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