You remember more of what you read if you become more actively involved in the reading. Do this by:
- Knowing what you want to learn: ask yourself before you read, ‘What do I want to learn from this?’
- Doing a quick survey: skim through the chapter you’re about to read to get an overall idea of what it’s about. Read the headings, sub-headings and anything in bold or italics. This will give you the main points.
- Reading more closely: go back now and read the chapter more closely.
- Asking questions: if you read with questions in mind then you will have to concentrate to find the answers.
- Highlighting: highlight important points as you find them. This keeps you active and involved.
- Summarising what you read: either write a summary or verbally recount it to make sure you know what you just read.
- Rereading difficult parts: go back over anything you didn’t get first time around.
- Adding what you read to what you already know: sum up how what you just read fits in with what you might have learned yesterday in this subject.
For more study tips, read Shortcuts to Success: Study and Exam Skills for Leaving Certificate by Irene Togher.