Textbook Reading

How often do the following happen to you?

• I fall asleep whenever I try to read a textbook.
• I get to the end of a page and can't remember what I just read.
• I do all of my reading, but I still fail the test.
• I feel like I understand what I am reading, but I forget what I read by the time I take the test.
• I don't know why I have to read the textbook. Everything on the test is covered in class.

Do you...

• preview your textbook?
• use your chapter summaries?
• highlight everything or only highlight selectively?
• review your reading assignments?
• take notes or outline what you have read?
• try to find alternative sources (such as the Internet) for difficult concepts or subjects?
• compare your notes to the reading assignment?

Believe it or not, reading a textbook is a learned art! It is different from reading a novel or your favorite magazine. Our study skills counselors are trained to help you learn how to read textbooks effectively using a method called SQ3R. With practice, you can put together the puzzle of reading and remembering information from your textbook.

Helpful Hints on Reading Textbooks

Have you heard of Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (Irlen Syndrome or SSS)?  Many people who have extreme difficulty reading are helped by the use of overlays when reading.  Click here to learn more about Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome or visit the Irlen Institute.