How to Preview a Reading Assignment

Previewing a reading assignment helps to get your mind in full gear. By following the steps below you will be able to go into the reading with a mental outline that will help you decide how to approach the material. I guarantee that if you follow these tips, your reading comprehension will improve dramatically. For our purposes here we will discuss non-fiction.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A book or an article
• Pen and paper
• Highlighter

1. Read the title. Quite often the main idea of the article is summarized right in the title!

2. Determine who wrote the book or article. What are their qualifications? You want to know before approaching the actual text just how reliable the author of the text is.

3. Read boldface headings and words in boldfaced type. The headings condense the articles content for you into just a few words and give you an idea where the author is headed.

4. Look over any graphics. Are there photos, maps or charts? These graphic aids provide you with a quick look at the articles contents and main purpose.

5. Read the first paragraph. The first paragraph most often contains the topic and the main idea. By previewing the first paragraph you will have a pretty good sense where the author is headed.

6. Look over any material at the end of the article. Authors sometimes add comments at the end of the article that will help you better comprehend the content of the reading assignment before actually reading it!

Tips & Warnings

• Use a highlighter to mark main idea and supporting details as you preview.
• If you are reading a test assignment, read the test questions during your previewing.
• Never use a highlighter in someone else’s book!

Resources

• Seven Habits of Highly Effective Readers
• Study Methods for Reading