Reading: Having a Plan for Reading Assignments

Buy this book »

When faced with a reading assignment, it can seem overwhelming. You may start by counting the pages, and then sigh and wish it were already done. To overcome reading aversion, start with a plan: Figure out the purpose of the reading assignment, look at the source of the assignment, and keep the deadline in mind. When you have a plan, you know what you need to accomplish and how to best do so. That’s the first part of handling reading assignments and is the focus of the three following sections.

What’s the Purpose?

The first question to ask is what is the purpose for your reading? The purpose is the “why” of your reading plan. You or your instructor determines the purpose of the reading. For example, your instructor may tell you to read a chapter because the material will be covered on a test. Or you may read an article to do research for a paper. Knowing the reason you’re reading can help  you find a focus.

Any of the following are possible purposes for reading:

• Studying for a test: Aha! That’s probably the reason you think is most important for doing your reading, but you’re wrong. Yes, you need to read to learn — and then test — your knowledge, but that’s not the primary purpose for reading (or shouldn’t be!).
• Reading to comprehend an idea: The main purpose in reading is to understand an idea or concept. Keep that always in mind as you read. What is the main idea? What are you learning (reading) about?
• Connecting ideas together: All reading tells a story, and when you read, you not only need to understand the individual parts of the story but also see how that part connects to other parts. A good portion of learning is simply seeing how things are interconnected. For example, how did Britain’s rule of the U.S. colonies ignite the American
  Revolution?
• Learning more: Sometimes, you read an overview of a topic or concept to get the big picture. Other times, you go into more depth and learn about a specific idea or concept. You may do this as part of your lesson or do it on your own. For example, you may read about the solar system, and then become interested in space travel or astronomy and pursue those topics on your own.
• Reading to appreciate literature: For many subjects, your reading assignments will be non-fiction. For other classes, you may read fiction, such as novels, poetry, or plays. (See the “Reading Literature” section later in this chapter.) You may associate this type of reading only with literature or English classes, but often, reading literature is helpful for social studies (to learn about the myths of other cultures, for example), history (to see how events of the time were portrayed in fiction), and other subjects.
• Reading for pleasure: Many students love reading for their own personal pleasure. You may also love to read, and you may like a particular genre (science fiction, horror, romance, and so on) or a wide variety of styles and types of writing.

Problem Reader?

If you’re a slow reader or have been diagnosed with a reading disability, don’t despair. You can improve your reading abilities. Consult with a reading specialist at your school or work with a reading tutor.