Course: FYE 101 First Year Experience

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Reading and Audio Visual Presentation » Study Skills

Reading and Audio Visual Presentation

Active Reading and Taking Notes
Active Listening and Critical Thinking

Improving Reading and Building Vocabulary

Improving Reading and Building Vocabulary
Reading is a skill you can continue to develop throughout your life. Whether you are reading for school or for pleasure, these suggestions might help you:
- Set reading goals and break in logical places; use headings and breaks in the text to help divide a chapter.
- Stop often to paraphrase and check for meaning.
- Think critically while reading.
- Learn to use reading strategies such as SQ3R or OK5R.
- Read for pleasure; consider listening to books on tape as well.
- Consider being evaluated if you have difficulty reading.

You should purchase a good, portable dictionary or have access to the Internet when you read so you can search for definitions. You should also:
- Differentiate between key terms for a course and general vocabulary words used in all disciplines.
- Mark unfamiliar words and look them up; see if your textbook has a glossary or use your dictionary.
- You don’t have to interrupt your reading; you can wait until the end of the paragraph unless the word is significant to meaning.
- Write the definitions in the margin.
- Become curious about words and try to be precise about their use.

Active Reading and Taking Notes
Active Listening and Critical Thinking