mikeem em's List: Learningeffectively

• Read the title -
  help your mind prepare to receive the
  subject at hand.
• Read the
  introduction and/or summary - orient
  yourself to how this chapter fits the
  author's purposes, and focus on the
  author's statement of most important
  points.
• Notice each
  boldface heading and subheading - organize
  your mind before you begin to read - build
  a structure for the thoughts and details
  to come.
• Notice any graphics
  - charts, maps, diagrams, etc. are there
  to make a point - don't miss them.
  
• Notice reading aids
  - italics, bold face print, chapter
  objective, end-of -chapter questions are
  all included to help you sort, comprehend,
  and remember.

Survey (1 minute): Before beginning reading look through the whole chapter. See what the
headings are -- the major ones and the subheadings; hierarchical structures seem to be particularly
easy for our brains to latch onto -- check for introductory and summary paragraphs, references, etc.
Resist reading at this point, but see if you can identify 3 to 6 major ideas in the chapter.

2. Question (usually less than 30 seconds): Ask yourself what this chapter is about: What is the
question that this chapter is trying to answer? Or -- along the curiosity lines -- What question do I
have that this chapter might help answer? Repeat this process with each subsection of the chapter,
as well, turning each heading into a question.

3. Read (slower for some of us than others!): Read one section at a time looking for the answer to
the question proposed by the heading! This is active reading and requires concentration so find
yourself a place and time where you can concentrate.

4. Recite/write (about a minute): Say to yourself (I do this out loud so I have to study where I
don't embarrass myself) or write down (I sometimes do this in the margins of the book itself ) a
key phrase that sums up the major point of the section and answers the question. It is important to
use your own words, not just copy a phrase from the book. Research shows that we remember our
own (active) connections better than ones given to us (passive), indeed that our own hierarchies
are generally better than the best prefab hierarchies.

5. Review (less than 5 minutes): After repeating steps 2-4 for each section you have a list of key
phrases that provides a sort of outline for the chapter. Test yourself by covering up the key phrases
and seeing if you can recall them. Do this right after you finish reading the chapter. If you can't
recall one of your major points, that's a section you need to reread.