How to Read Difficult Text

Being able to read difficult text is an advantage when it comes to doing well in school. Yet, school is not the only place where good reading ability will be important. It can also be important in a job or anytime research is necessary.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dictionary
• Internet Access
• Paper
• Pen

1. To improve reading ability, go through difficult writing at a slower pace.

2. Another way to improve reading ability is to use a dictionary when you come across words that you do not understand. Stop and look them up.

3. Stop after a few sentences or even after one sentence if necessary, and rephrase what you've just read in your own words.

4. Write down a summary, in your own words, of what you have read. Do this after reading the first sentences of every paragraph, the headings, and the summary, if there is one.

5. When you get lost in the details, relax. Pull back, adjust your focus, and ask yourself what the big picture is. Then, read again, and find out how the details fit with the main concepts of what you're reading.

6. There may be sources in the library or online which present a simpler explanation for the subject matter you are reading. Consider reading them first before going back to read the original text you had trouble understanding.

7. When you're reading through difficult text, and come across writing you do not understand, stop and note its specific location. Write it down and see if you can ask someone about it.

8. As you are reading through something that is hard to understand, keep a written list of questions. Write any questions you have about a text once it occurs to you as you read. Be thorough. Make sure the questions are direct, specific, and clear. Writing these questions down and answering them will often work in clarifying what has been read.

9. There are several ways to find answers to questions which are serving to clarify what has been read. You can find the answers by re-reading the text. If that does not work, ask a student or teacher. There is also a good chance that an expert exists for the subject matter you have just read. You can find these experts through an ask-an-expert website. These are easily found through a google search.

10. If the question is on an obscure subject, consider getting the help of a librarian in a major library. The services of an information broker could also be consider when finding information. The book, Find it Fast, by Robert Berkman, is an excellent book on researching information. There is also a section there for finding obscure information.

11. Whenever you feel confused, deal with that feeling through mindfulness. Instead of fighting it, relax into it. Let yourself experience it completely and breathe deeply into that feeling. It will usually be located in a certain part of the body. By welcoming and breathing deeply into feelings of confusion while completely experiencing them, you neutralize the emotion of confusion itself, making way for clarity. You'll put yourself in a more balanced emotional state, which increases your chances of understanding what you read.

[CWilliams]

on 12/17/2008 These are some really great tips for being a more comprehensive reader.+5