Tips for reading
Reading and understanding texts is something you have to do throughout your life. Whether while studying at school, in the world of work or in everyday life, you will always come across documents that you have to read and understand. Texts and books are an important means of imparting knowledge. In this article, you will learn 8 tips on how to read a text more efficiently and which techniques you can use to better comprehend the content you read.
After you've tidied up your desk, gotten your pens and markers ready, got some lighting, and settled into your seat, you still need to be clear about the type of text you're looking at. Is it a story, a novel, a play, a scientific text, a newspaper article, a poem, etc.?
Now you can start reading!
In order to get an initial overview of the text and to understand its structure, first read the text roughly for yourself. This means that instead of reading the entire text, you look at the table of contents, heading, subtitles, graphics, tables, emphasis, introduction, and conclusion to get an overview of the structure and topic .
Tip: Basically, the most important things are in the introduction and at the end, because the topic is presented in the introduction and the most important points are summarized at the end. That doesn't mean that you should only read these two passages!
If you want to learn more about the SQ3R method, you can find a blog article about this learning method on evulpo.
1. Prepare yourself
Before you start reading, you need to find a suitable place to read. It should be a place that is comfortable, but still allows you to focus and take notes if necessary. Even if the bed may seem tempting for reading, you should avoid it and opt for a sitting position, preferably at the desk. Try to ensure good posture here so that you don't wake up with back and neck pain the next day. Also make sure you have good lighting, i. H. for uniform illumination of the room.After you've tidied up your desk, gotten your pens and markers ready, got some lighting, and settled into your seat, you still need to be clear about the type of text you're looking at. Is it a story, a novel, a play, a scientific text, a newspaper article, a poem, etc.?
Now you can start reading!
2. Understand the structure and get an overview
Every text has a specific structure, a specific composition, and each area of the text has a specific function. For example, the introduction – as the name suggests – serves to introduce the topic, introduce it and possibly explain what the reader can expect from the text, while the conclusion serves to explain the most important points of the text to summarize.In order to get an initial overview of the text and to understand its structure, first read the text roughly for yourself. This means that instead of reading the entire text, you look at the table of contents, heading, subtitles, graphics, tables, emphasis, introduction, and conclusion to get an overview of the structure and topic .
3. Visualise what you read
To better understand and memorize what you have read, it is advisable to play a mental film in your head. Visualize everything you read. This makes the concepts more concrete, the theories more lively and the content more engaging and tangible. So you don't just read, but connect what you read with certain images that will definitely stick in your memory better.4. Adapt your reading speed and technique to the text
Depending on the complexity and type of text, you may need to adjust your reading speed and technique in order to actually understand the text. After all, there is nothing more frustrating than having to keep turning pages and not getting anywhere. When dealing with a complex scientific text, it makes more sense to read more slowly but carefully and try to understand each paragraph before continuing, while with simpler texts you can easily skip some passages and still understand what it is about goes.5. Be selective
Be picky! Not everything you need to read is important. It is therefore advisable that you get an overview and select what you need or want to read and what is probably not that important when you first read the text roughly. The aim of selective reading is to capture as much content as possible in a short time and in this way to inform you roughly about a topic. In principle, you also learn to set priorities.Tip: Basically, the most important things are in the introduction and at the end, because the topic is presented in the introduction and the most important points are summarized at the end. That doesn't mean that you should only read these two passages!
6. Use tools
Reading a text unaided is usually pointless as it is easier to get distracted, wander off and not really focus on the content. It is therefore best to use a pen or highlighter to underline or highlight important points. You can also use a pen to write down important keywords for the various passages on the wheel so that you can find the essential passages more quickly when skimming over them. Small stickers and post-its can also help you mark important paragraphs or pages.7. Try the SQ3R method
The SQ3R method is a method designed to help you better understand a text. It's not about speed, it's about capturing the content of a text and being able to remember it for a long time. SQ3R describes the order in which a reader should work through a text or book in order to understand the content. The acronym SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review. In German: overview, questioning, reading, reproducing, recapitulating.If you want to learn more about the SQ3R method, you can find a blog article about this learning method on evulpo.