Learning Center - Study Skills

As a college student, you will be expected to read your course materials, textbooks, and homework closely and critically.  Reading closely and critically means understanding both the basic and complex parts of a text and how these parts interact to create meaning:

Let's take a closer look at close reading practices:

When reading closely, use the following Keys to Success:

• Read with a reliable (print or digital) dictionary
• Look up allusions (reference to something outside of the text)
• Keep a running dictionary of any words you looked up
• Write your thoughts in the margin
• Keep a reading / writing journal

When you reading critically, you are asking why questions of the text:

When reading critically, use the following Keys to Success:

• Note any differences between the  readings: is there anything you did not notice the first time?
• Try to focus on the style rather than the content the second or third time.
• Examine the ways that structure and organization work together to create meaning.
• Look for ways the author appeals to the audience (ethos, pathos, and logos).