CRITICAL READING, WRITING, AND

THINKING
MGA DINISCUSS NI SIR:
1. DOT – Digital Object Identifier
2. Conceptual Text = Non-Academic Text
3. Bio-Note – author’s achievement were discussed briefly
4. Map = longer
5. Non-Academic Text – longer recency of citations in a text, longer range of validity
6. Majors Of Text
- Introduction
- Body
- Conclusion
7. Process of Skimming (Skipping nakalagay sa notes ko) = general speed reading
8. 700 – 1000 = usual speed range of skimming
9. Why do experts recommend reading in the morning? Mind is clear
10. What does academic text refer to?
- research articles
11. Drawing conclusion when reading = developing logical assumptions
12. Denotative meaning = literal meaning
13. Why is focusing to 2-4 words recommended in speed reading?
- answer is the longest and has human mind on it
14. SQ3R Method = “s” – pre-reading stage
15. Citation and Reference = longest answer in the choices
16. Vocabulary = body of words
17. Objectivity = critical reading from leading for leisure
18. Curiosity = perquisite / pre-requisite of discovery
19. Memorization = lowest form of intelligence
20. Reading – process of recognizing and understanding the meaning of written words
21. Plagiarism – representation of another author’s work without giving credits to them.
22. Journal – not considered as secondary sources
23. Preface – intro to a book
24. Mind- mapping = way of linking key concepts
25. Linear – suitable for logical writing
26. Citation – the “MARKER”
27. Credibility – 1st thing to consider when choosing a book
28. Glossary – list of words and definitions of the words
29. Keywords and organization – critical reading component
30. Reader’s reaction – do not highlight anything
31. Making – Inferences = reader – centric

32. SKIMMING!
- Speedy reading for general meaning.
- Allows you to concentrate on identifying the central or main points.
- Speed ranges from 700 – 1000 wpm.
- Works best with non-fiction or factual texts.
- Meant to identify MAIN POINTS without identifying the details.

33. SCANNING!
- Passing the vision speedily over a selection of text to find specific words or phrases.
- Speed ranges above 1000 wpm.
- Skipping over large portions of texts to find what you are looking for.
- Meant to identify SPECIFIC DETAILS without understanding the main points.

34. MAKE INFERENCES!

- Comprehension strategy used by proficient readers to “read beyond the lines”,
make connections, and draw conclusions about the texts meaning and purpose.
Inference – concluding based on knowledge and experience.
- Making an inference is not just making a wild guess. You need to make a
judgement that can be supported.

35. THE SQ3R METHOD!

- Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review
- An active reading method.

ORIENTATION

OLFU VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES

VISION
A premier inclusive university of choice aspiring to improve man as man by developing
individuals through a legacy of excellent education and compassionate value formation.

MISSION
The Our Lady of Fatima University, together with Fatima Medical Science Foundation, Inc., is
dedicated to the improvement of man as man through the holistic formation of individuals
imbued with knowledge, skills, and virtues.

OLFU Core Values and Graduate Attributes

A – Aspires to do his Best
C – Credible and Compassionate
H – Hardworking and Honorable
I – Inspiration to Others
E– Efficient, Effective and Ethical
V – Visionary
E – Entrepreneurial, Employable and Excellent Work Habits
R – Responsible

CRITICAL READING, WRITING, AND THINKING INTRODUCTION

Critical thinking is becoming more challenging in this generation with the advent of social media
and the internet in general, leading to the prevalence of fake news, unverified sources, and
self-published materials. This subsequently makes critical reading and critical writing more
challenging to students who are often presented with a myriad of information from random
sources, some of which are not meant for academic reading and writing. Hence, it is a must for
students to be guided to upgrade their thinking habits and develop their reading and writing
skills from purely creative to analytical and persuasive. Critical reading and writing, in this
course, will serve as the foundation in developing critical thinking as a habit and not merely as
an academic task. In turn, this is aimed to improve the students’ perception and prepare them
for the challenges in real work settings in the future.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course summarizes the goals and mechanics of critical thinking in relation to critical
reading and critical writing, as well as the items to be aware of when learning how to think
critically, raise arguments and locate logical fallacies. The course also covers strategies in
practicing analytical reading and writing that aims to challenge the presented information (in
reading) and convince readers with facts and interpreted data (in writing).This course is
intended for those who are interested in gaining a basic sense of thinking and developing their
cognitive abilities, to better their lives as individuals, and to make them better and stronger
students, employees, team members, and leaders in the future. This course does not provide
in-depth analyses regarding critical thinking or creative thinking, nor should it be considered
the definitive volume on such topics. Rather, the course allows a beginner to discover the
foundation they need in order to develop themselves towards

LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL READING

What is Critical Reading?

Being a critical reader does not require you to be critical about everything you read. There is
no need to find fault and argue with the author on all things that you think are faulty, unconventional
and questionable. What does critical reading mean, then?

In hindsight, critical reading is explained as the manner of engaging yourself in what you read
by asking questions like, “what does the author mean?” “What message is being conveyed in the
text” or “what is the argument raised?” The process of critical reading involves raising a reasoned,
logical and balanced argument that analyzes and evaluated the text. Thus, being a critical reader
means that you have achieved a higher level of comprehension, have stayed open-minded all
throughout, and have continued to learn and embrace knowledge and wisdom outside your own
standards and beliefs.

To critically read a text is to apply your discretion to what you are reading. You do not take
everything you read at face value. You will be faced with the writer’s insights and interpretations
when reading texts for academic purposes. Expectedly, different writers have their own points of
view and biases. For this reason, critically examining everything you read to check for intentional and
unintentional omissions, grounds for arguments, and inconsistencies is of utmost importance.

You will be expected to understand and interpret different viewpoints in the academe, which
are important in making your own judgments.
Reading critically means reflecting on:
 Content of the text: the reader should be able to interpret and explain the main points of the
text on his or her own words
 Descriptions in the text: the reader should be able to create his or her own examples based from
the described key points and be able to compare them with other texts of the same topic
 Interpretation of the text: the reader should be able to objectively analyze the text in parts and
in whole

To summarize, critical reading allows a reader to understand the content of the text, the
descriptions contained, and the interpretation of the author in order to scrutinize the elements
involved, including the style, composition and language.

CRITICAL READING AS A DAILY ROUTINE

Reading takes a lot of time, especially in higher education where evaluation and analysis are
staple parts of the reading process. This fact makes reading tedious and cumbersome for most
people, which makes studying less motivating and effective.

However, reading for academic purposes need not be challenging. It is, and should always be,
an active process which leads to the development of the reader. This is bound to happen only when
the reader becomes consistently conscious of the nature and content of the text, and everything that
the author implies behind the text.
 When we read, we read not only the text, but also the mind of the person who wrote it. We
learn more perspectives in life the more we read. Hence, making reading a habit widens our horizons
and allows us to always look at the bigger picture from a vantage point.

It is needless to say that making critical reading a habit does not only require you to read
every day but also to absorb as much as you can, to integrate the valuable ones to your own
principles and values, and to adopt the attitude necessary to keep yourself inspired in reading.

HOW READING DEVELOPS

Naturally, reading starts with the understanding of the letters, words, and symbols used in
the text. Children read and understand at face value because they are in the process of familiarizing
from a linguistic point of view. As they grow older and their academic and intellectual levels go up,
the reading process becomes more complicated. They learn that reading is not just identifying letters,
words, and symbols, but also comprehending the meaning behind those words. Learning is no longer
done at the surface. Connotation is added to denotation. Figurative meaning is combined with literal
meaning. In a span of several years, reading becomes more worthwhile yet more challenging.

Eventually, we learn to add new words to our vocabulary on a daily basis, and use them in
our own sentences. We start challenging what textbook call “facts” as we adopt a skeptic attitude,
which leads to curiosity and later on, discovery. We start asking and start answering questions.
Finally, we learn to integrate reading and learning in the truest sense.

However, as we progress down the academic path and absorb more bits of knowledge and
perspectives, our principles, values and beliefs also start crumble, some of which are permanently
changed through the influence of other sources and people. The wide gamut of information available
to us makes thinking more complex as we have to consider more things than usual. Our accumulating
experience also adds challenge, although these inevitable factors are necessary for learning and
progression.

This process of transitioning from mere data gathering to a deeper level of consciousness
that involves analysis and evaluation is crucial for our own personal development and professional
advancement.

The more we develop our reading capacity, the more proficient we become in accepting and
rejecting what we read. This, by nature, is practicing critical reading to the best of our abilities.

THE GOAL OF READING

People read every day for different purposes. Some have deeper purposes that root from
critical reasons, like when reading for academic and professional purposes. Some, on the other hand,
read to be entertained, to pass time, or simply to try to learn new things without pinpointing any
particular form of knowledge.

Most of the time, we read factual information, or at least, try to, amidst the world of fake
news and unverified information in the internet. We may also read fiction in order to be entertained;
depending upon the reader, a level of interpretation may be applied, and if reading fiction as part of
an English Literature degree, then analysis of the author’s writing style, motives, and other elements
is imperative.

A lot of people read newspapers in print or online. They do it to be informed. However, since
bias and partisan politics are widespread in mass media, opinions are sometimes delivered as factual
statements. This is damaging to learning as influence is sometimes brought not by value but by
popularity.

One example of this is the proliferation of fake news as told by some social media influencers
who click before they think. This is irresponsible but remains tolerated by many people until now.
Thus, the goal of reading should be to learn, not to be updated with what famous people are talking
about.

When reading for academic purposes, students usually observe two main goals: first is to
learn and develop, and second is to pass the subject. Sadly, many students only aim to pass and not
to learn and develop, thinking that everything is fine for as long as they pass the subject. What they
do not realize is that this mindset and attitude may only be helpful to a certain degree when still
studying, not when venturing in the real world as a professional. Furthermore, this mindset is the
reason why not all students who graduate display competitiveness and efficiency at work.

Lastly, many students read to memorize, and not read to comprehend, analyze, and interpret
the text. There is memorization but with very minimal learning. The knowledge is forgotten when the
memorized words and sentences are also forgotten. This is the reason why memorization is
considered as the lowest form of intelligence.

Adopting a Healthy Attitude in Reading

Usually, we find unfamiliar topics, styles and languages hard to follow. This is expected even
for professionals. Consequentially, this can also be disappointing and demotivating. Who wants to
burden themselves anyway? Sooner or later, the person who experienced reading as a challenge may
quit the habit altogether. Development is then delayed or denied completely.

On this regard, critical reading is less challenging as there is no need to focus on the text
verbatim. There is no need to pay attention to all details as well as not every detail in a text
possesses value.

In critical reading, you are encouraged to learn meaning and identify value rather than
absorb everything at face value. Being able to follow the flow of the story and predict what’s bound
to happen by drawing conclusions and making inferences is given priority over being able to
familiarize yourself with the specific details.

In order to keep a positive attitude when reading, one has to equip him or herself with tools
that make learning more convenient and less tiresome. Make a quality dictionary available for access
at all times just in case you encounter unfamiliar terminologies that cannot be understood with
context clues alone. There are hundreds of printed dictionaries to choose from, although
downloading updated applications and accessing them online are now more convenient. One has to
keep in mind, though, that denotative and connotative meanings may be used in the same text by
the same author. Hence, relying on literal meaning is not always helpful.

Another way to maintain a healthy attitude in reading is by emotionally detaching yourself

from the text. Subjective reading clouds judgment. In fact, many authors try to influence readers by
using their own emotions against them. Advisably, one has to maintain objectivity when reading as
this allows a person to analyze the text using logic and not feelings.

Differentiating Facts from Interpretations

For non-critical readers, a text is a source of facts. Texts are, then, memorized in order to
absorb these so-called facts.
 When studying history, they believe the book that describes events the clearest.

For critical readers, on the other hand, a text only provides the author’s own interpretation
of facts. This interpretation may be considered valid or invalid. Hence, critical readers recognize not
only what the text says, but also how the text discusses the topic.

When studying history, they gather as much information as possible, stitch the different
interpretations together, and validate the ones that are supported by logical or scientific
explanations. They learn to link information from different sources to create a timeline where the
past, present and future connect with each other.

LESSON 2: THE NATURE OF THE TEXT

Knowing more about the nature of the text prepares you better in understanding the topic,
following references, raising arguments and flowing with the discussion.

What questions should you raise?

 What is the title? Does it reflect the topic?
 What details, style and arguments do you expect?
 What do you currently know about the topic? Are there gaps and grey areas with your current
knowledge of the topic?
 Is there any need for background reading prior to reading the current text in order to make
understanding faster and more fluid?

This information is often reflected on the cover, preface and table of content of the book. For
stories, the synopsis at the back can give you the information that you need.

Who are the stakeholders?

1. Author – concern in the issue, controls the issue, affected by the issue
2. Reader – controls the result of the issue
3. Publisher

 Who is in concern in the issue?

 Who controls the result of the issue?
 Who are the key decision makers or key contributors in creating and resolving the issue?
 Who is affected by the issue?

Quipping yourself with prior knowledge before reading the text can help you identify the biases of
the authors, and possibly the unintentional errors.

What do you know about the author?

 What is the background of the author?

- To understand perspective or the insights of the author thru reading or before
reading his/her text.
 What are his or her goals in writing the text?
It is possible that the text is no longer consistent with the author’s prior works or statements, so you
need to consider some information:

 When was the text published?

 Where was it published?
 Who was the publisher?

This information can help the reader understand the reason behind the inconsistency. The text may no
 longer be updated or may be the updated one.

The place of publication may also prompt the author to slightly alter the content to fit in the culture of
the target readers in a particular area.

Because it is possible that the text is no longer consistent with the author’s prior works or statements, it
could be:
 Just a revised or even plagiarized
 Consider quality over quantity.
 Sometimes, the publisher also influences the creative direction of the book, so the author might
write things that he or she does not fully agree with, all of the sake of marketability. This happens not
only in the publishing industry but also in the music industry where artistry is sacrificed for
commercial appeal.

ACADEMIC AND NON-ACADEMIC TEXTS

Learning how to separate academic texts from non-academic texts is an imperative for students as
this knowledge is needed in researching, reviewing and passing assessments. But how do they differ
from each other exactly?

ACADEMIC ARTICLES
 written by experts in a particular field.
 Not self-published
 Language is formal (jargons & other technical stylistic choices of words).
 References are also compiled (different references)
 Considered as Primary Sources!
 Undergo strict peer review process

NON-ACADEMIC ARTICLES
 Written for mass public
 Published quickly and can be written by everyone
 Creativity is favored over credibility
 Informality may be preferred over formality
 Reference list is optional.
 Secondary Sources!
 Not credible to use (esp. in academic purposes).

Academic articles are written by experts in a particular field. They are not self-published. Rather, the
manuscript goes through a series of editing, typesetting and quality checking performed by other
experts in a peer-review setting. The language used here is formal, sometimes containing jargons and
other technical stylistic choices.

The authors are well represented in academic articles as their names, credentials and affiliations
build the text’s credibility and reputation. The references are also compiled to support the veracity of
all information included in the text.

Lastly, academic articles are considered as primary sources as they have been scientifically and
systematically researched and written. They also undergo strict peer-review process, which
sometimes takes years.

Non-academic articles, on the other hand, are written for the mass public. They are published
quickly and can be written by anyone. Authorship is not limited to credentials, writing ability or
substance, as fame, with or without credibility, sometimes suffices as qualification for writing non-
academic articles. There are also times when creativity is favored over credibility.

Because these texts are non-scientific and non-systematic, references are not required and
consistency is a choice, not a requirement. Informality may be preferred over formality since these
texts normally target the masses and not the experts and professionals. A reference list is optional as
well.

Non-academic articles are considered as secondary sources and should never be prioritized over
academic articles as references. Most of your references should also come from academic articles,
not non-academic articles to uphold credibility.
LESSON 3: STEPS IN CRITICAL READING
Developing the Habit

In order to make critical reading a habit, one needs to have the genuine desire to learn and discover
new things. There should be a compelling reason to stick with it as a habit, and that is to develop
oneself and achieve competitiveness in the future.

There are different practical strategies to develop critical reading as a habit. Anyone can practice
them, and with time and diligence, the transformation of the habit that you desire is bound to
happen.

1. Prioritize reading
It is understandable for everyone to get busy at times, making reading a more
challenging task. However, putting reading atop your priority list by allotting a time specific
schedule makes hitting your goal more realistic. You can also create a timetable to ensure
your progress.
2. Find informative books of good value
Good books are not merely entertaining. They are worth reading for their substance
for the golden knowledge and wisdom they possess that can help you achieve your goals in
life, whether it is in school, at work or at home. Finding them can be challenging, though,
especially nowadays that choices abound, some of which showcase low quality due to
substandard editing or self-publication.
What you should do at this point is not just look at titles or topics, but on the
author’s credibility, the reputation of the publishing company, the curation and
endorsements involved, and to a certain extent, the marketability of the book in its niche.
Favorites and bestsellers do not spell quality all the time, but at least you can have an idea of
the market’s reception towards them.
To experience the best results, you may want to start reading books that genuinely
pique your curiosity or are aligned with your already existing hobbies, skills, interests, or field
of specialization. It is also recommended for readers to set a “reading schedule” every day,
which may last from 30 minutes to several hours.
You have to keep in mind, though, that you are reading because you have a goal and
not because you have a schedule to fill. Doing the latter might prove cumbersome and
counterproductive.
3. Have your reading habit planned
You basically add one more chore to your already busy day when you set a schedule
for reading on a daily basis. Hence, you also have to identify one or more time-wasting
activities that do not pose much value to your life. These unproductive, usually unhealthy
activities, should be removed from your routines until only the productive ones remain.
Designating your own reading spot in the house and setting up a mini-library where
you can place all of your books also help in developing the habit. Nonetheless, you should
avoid reading in stressful places, like the workplace, as you might subconsciously link stress
with reading later on.
If planning your reading habit in a time-bound manner seems impractical, you may
always set a quantity-based reading activity instead. This will require you to read a specific
number of pages on a daily basis regardless of the time allotment, which is ideal for people
who read slowly or are very time-conscious.
Lastly, have all your reading essentials prepared alongside your books. Markers,
pens, bookmarks, what have you, should be within reach when you need to take down notes,
jot down ideas from what you read and plan your next reading.
4. Do not limit your reading habit
Read as much as you can, as often as you want. Don’t limit your reading time to a
few minutes per day when you have more time to spare. Eventually, you might notice that
your writing skills also improve due to the new concepts, styles, vocabulary and information
that you constantly learn.
5. Be a morning reader
Experts recommend reading early in the morning because the mind is clearer and the
body is most relaxed at this time. This makes concentration easier, which improves your
learning capacity by miles. In fact, the effect would still be beneficial even if you try to wake
up earlier than usual. Anyway, waking up earlier is only bound to be challenging during the
first few days. Your biological clock will adjust automatically once you make this a habit.
6. Try speed reading
Speed reading allows you to cover and finish books much faster without sacrificing
comprehension. This does not mean reading every word and every sentence so quickly that
comprehension is no longer happening. What this means is you target specific information
 within the text, apply reading patterns throughout the pages, and skip unnecessary parts to
make reading faster.
You will learn the different speed-reading strategies in the coming weeks, but you
may opt to practice practical steps for now.
Start by removing all the elements that distract you and turn off your computer or
television. Then pick a book, get a timer, start the timer, read 10 pages and record your
results. Take a quick look at the title, introduction, section headers and the conclusion. Do
not read every word, skip articles like “a”, “the” etc., stop mouthing words or speaking them
in your head, try to take in whole sentences and paragraphs and do not pause between
paragraphs. Use one of your fingers or a pen to guide your eyes and set your pace. The next
stage is to set 20 minutes per day to practice speed reading.

THE CRITICAL READING PROCESS

Follow these steps to practice critical reading.

Step 1: Analyze the critical reading components

Identify the components then ponder on them one by one:

 Underline instructional words, e.g., discuss, explain, identify, justify

 Mark apparent keywords and key phrases
 Be mindful of the organizational patterns used (Compare and contrast, cause and effect, list,
spatial, chronological, etc.)
 Evaluate the validity and requirement of the questions
 Brainstorm the question:
o Write down all related information
o Link the details that you know
o Determine knowledge gaps

Step 2: Practice pre-reading activities

Have the text scanned for the following details:

 Who is the author/s?

o What are his or her credentials?
o What is his or her reputation?
o Is the writer known for bias?
 What is the nature of the text?
o Is it current?
o Is it authoritative?
o Is it purely subjective, purely objective, or a combination of both?

Highlight main ideas and keywords:

 Read the title, synopsis for stories and abstract for research, section headings and
subheadings, and graphical representations.
 Read the introduction, the first few paragraphs, and the conclusion at the end.
Step 3: List down questions.

Connect the content of the text to your research questions

 Is this text relevant to my research question?

 If so, list questions about the content of the article or report.

Step 4: Take down notes

Follow these tips when jotting down reading notes:

 Be concise and write on your own words

 Use bullet points
 Pay attention to citation and references
 Take note of the arguments raised
 Summarize the major parts: the introduction, the body and the conclusion
 Record important quoted materials and the page numbers that you may have to read again
later on
 Write down keywords of any relevant information to your questions

These notes will become your summary of the text, which you can use as reference when writing your
report or project later on.

Step 5: Evaluate the text

Identify and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the text using these steps:

Ask questions on the value of the research evaluation questions.

 Has the article/report fulfilled its purpose?

 Is the argument clearly asserted and supported by evidence?
 Is the research valid? (Sufficient, appropriate, adequate, objective, valid methodology?)
 Has the argument been developed logically?
 Does it present solutions based on evidence?
 Are recommendations appropriate to the purpose?
 In what ways does the article/report advance our knowledge of a particular issue?
 What assumptions underlie the research? Are they
reasonable? Ask questions on the quality of the information

Fill in the evaluation section

Using your answers to the above questions in steps 1 and 2:

 What are the strengths of the text?

 What are the weaknesses?
Step 6: Mind map from memory

Make a rough mind map from memory: test what you can recall from your reading of the text.

 Make headings of the main ideas and note supporting evidence in dot points.
 Include your evaluation: the strengths and weaknesses.
 Identify gaps in your memory.

Step 7: Consolidate your knowledge

Summarize the text in preparation for writing your assignment

 Make another mind map drawing on your notes and your rough mind map.
 Make headings and note the supporting evidence in dot points.
 Include your evaluation.
 Be creative: use color and arrows; make it easy to visualize.
 Highlight the ideas you may want to use for your assignment.
 Identify areas for further research.

EFFECTIVE STEPS FOR NOTE-TAKING

There is no magic formula to taking notes when reading. You simply have to find out what works best
for you. Your note-taking skills will develop with practice and as you realize the benefits. This section
is designed to help you get started.

1. Highlighting and Emphasizing

Highlighting key words or phrases in text will help you:

 Focus your attention on what you are reading – and make it easy to see key points
when re-reading.
 Think more carefully about the key concepts and ideas in the text, the bits that are
worth highlighting.
 See immediately whether you have already read pages or sections of text.

Make a glossary on a separate sheet (or document) of notes, so you can easily refer and
update it as necessary. Write descriptions of the terms in your own words to further
encourage learning.

2. Making Written Notes

Although highlighting is a quick way of emphasizing key points, it is no substitute for taking
proper notes.
There are two main elements that you need to include in your notes:
a) The content of your reading, usually through brief summaries or paraphrasing, plus a
few well-chosen quotes (with page numbers); and
b) Your reaction to the content, which may include an emotional reaction and also
questions that you feel it raises.
It can be helpful to separate these two physically to ensure that you include both (see box).
 Your notes may also take various forms and style, for example:
 Linear, or moving from one section to the next on the page in a logical way, using
headings and sub-headings;
 Diagrammatic, using boxes and flowcharts to help you move around the page; and
 Patterns, such as mind maps, which allow a large amount of information to be included
in a single page, but rely on you to remember the underlying information.

3. Reviewing and Revising Your Notes

In particular, you may want to:
 Use headings or different sheets (or documents) to separate different themes and ideas;
 Use brightly colored pens or flags to highlight important points in your notes. You may
find it useful to have a simple system of color-coding, using different colors for particular
themes or issues; and
 Note where your opinions changed, and why.

4. Organizing Your Notes

Notes are of no use to you if you cannot find them when you need to, and spending a lot of
time sifting through piles of papers is a waste of time. It is therefore important to ensure that
your notes are well-organized and you can find what you want when you need it.

LESSON 4: READING STRATEGIES FOR CRITICAL THINKING

Critical thinking requires critical reading to develop because a huge part of you is influenced by what
you read and hear. Up to 80% of knowledge is learned through the eyes, and reading plays the
biggest role.

1. Improve your vocabulary

Having a wider vocabulary makes comprehension easier. However, expanding one’s
vocabulary, especially for those who use English as a second or foreign language, may not be
a simple task. These practical tips can help you do this without having to spend hours reading
hundreds of words in the dictionary each day.
 Read a wide range of texts to give yourself a varied vocabulary background.
 Have a dictionary at all times. An English-Filipino dictionary is useful, but remember that
there are English words that cannot be directly translated directly into Filipino. Hence,
relying in Webster’s is a better option, especially when studying technical terminologies.
You can also install a dictionary application on your mobile phone and computer for
more convenient access anytime.
 Never assume the meaning of a word that you are unfamiliar with. If you hesitate, then
look it up.
 Keep a vocabulary journal where you write down all words that you learn on a daily or
weekly basis. This can be a notebook or a set of index cards. This is really helpful,
especially when memorizing jargons often used in your industry or field of study. Write
the definition in your own words and create a sentence using the word that relates to
your life. The more you associate the word to your life, the better the recall.
 Learn at least three words a day and try using them in a sentence. Small actions can
take you a long way.
  Find opportunities to apply the learned words in actual conversations. The more
frequent you apply the learned words, the more familiar they can get. Do not force it,
though, just for the sake of application because it might sound awkward to those you
talk with if the usage is improper or the venue is not applicable.

2. Mind your reading comprehension skills

Monitoring your reading comprehension means being conscious of your recalls. You should
be aware of the words, phrases or sentences that you do not understand fully or confuse
you. As you do, you need to challenge your comprehension for looking for context clues and
inducing analytical thinking. Posing questions for you to answer does not fail in this sense.
You may also follow the tips described here to monitor your reading comprehension.
 Try to recall and explain the key points on your own words after each section. The
more you can recall, the better the comprehension will be. Break your reading up into
smaller sections using the subheadings and again recite. Remember, concentration plays
a large part in your ability to comprehend so assess your focus.
 Avoid reading at a slower pace just to compensate for your comprehension level.
Research tells us that reading at a slower speed often interferes with comprehension
because it forces us to resort to word for word reading. Furthermore, let your
comprehension level naturally catch up with your reading speed, and not the other way
around.
 Use a line guide to keep focused on the text and avoid having your eyes wander around.
It can be a ruler, an index card or your finger.

3. Improve Your Reading Speed

You can learn to increase your speed by practicing the tips discussed here once you
understand your present reading rate.
 Keep in mind that the reading pace depends on the type of material you are reading
and your goal. An adventure novel may allow for a quick rate whereas a science text may
demand a steadier rate. The type of reading that you need to do also dictates the reading
rate. If you are reading for detail, you must read at a rate for comprehension. If you are
reviewing, reading for general main ideas then skimming and using a faster rate is
appropriate.
 Proactively focus on 2-4 words at a time instead of fixating on a per word reading basis.
Increasing my/ reading rate will/ help me maximize/ my study time. This is basically like
trying to read phrase for phrase instead of word for word.
 Read with your eyes and mind. Pronouncing the words while you read slows down your
reading speed because it forces your focus on each word rather than on groups of words.
Also remember that many formal venues for reading, like the library, require silence all
the time.
 Practice makes perfect. The more you read, the more proficient you become. Practice
will increase speed, vocabulary, comprehension, and knowledge base. The challenge is
only hard to deal with at the beginning.
 Force yourself to read at a faster rate for short periods of time. Challenging yourself
from time to time will get you used to reading faster. You can challenge yourself to read a
certain number of pages per hour.
 Go at a speed that is uncomfortable but you are still comprehending the material.
Reading at an uncomfortable speed can be challenging and stressful at the beginning, but
as with any new task, doing this daily is bound to improve you. After practicing this tip for
a few days, retime yourself reading at an average rate and you should see a speed rate
 increase. The rate increase will only continue if you practice this technique. Check for
comprehension as your reading rate increases to ensure that you are increasing at
appropriate increments to enhance learning.
 Avoid rereading as much as possible. Pay attention to your concentration so that
rereading becomes unnecessary. The habit of rereading subconsciously makes you lose
focus on your first try.
 You should never read at a rate that is slower than your average rate. Research shows a
correlation between reading rate and comprehension. Slower speed does not guarantee
a better understanding of the material. In fact, research implies that increasing the rate
of speed often results in higher comprehension.

4. Apply The SQ3R Method—Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review

This is an active reading method that, although will seem time consuming at the beginning,
can still enhance your reading comprehension and learning efficiency.
Survey:
 Scan over the table of contents of a new book to have a clear understanding of its
content and plan your reading in advance. Is the professor following the format of the
book or is he/she changing how the order of the chapters will be read? How much time is
he/she allotting per chapter?
 Survey the entire chapter before you start reading so that you become familiar with
what will be presented and how much time you need.
 Look at the title and all subtitles to know what the chapter is about and how it is
broken up into parts. Label major headings and subheadings to show the relationship
between topics. You may also want to create your own outline based on your syllabus for
easier time management and planning of tasks.
 Look at the end of the chapter aids, such as questions, summaries, etc. This will help
you select the main ideas as you read. This can also be a great help when trying to read
in advance for future discussions.
 Read the introduction and/or first paragraph first. This will tell you the purpose of the
chapter and will give you an idea of its importance in relation to your course.
 Read the last paragraph. This will summarize the text and can make understanding of
the entire text easier and faster.
 Be mindful of the different terminologies used. Bring out index cards and create a
terminology index as you read. The author might have used these words to familiarize
you with future topics, so pay attention.

Question:

 Turn the subheadings into questions before proceeding to read so that your mind is
actively looking for answers rather than passively reading along. This habit also helps you
develop critical thinking skills in the process.
 Create questions from information printed in the margins. You may also highlight
keywords or key phrases for future references.
 Create questions for each graph presented. You might need to go back to these data
once you review. Also remember that teachers usually refer to graphs when creating
tests or when discussing.
 Try writing out the questions so that you can periodically look at the questions and stop
to see if you can recall the information. You can also use these questions when reviewing
in the future.
 Read:

 Start reading only when you can concentrate and commit to it. It is advised to read
while sitting rather than lying down as the latter makes you very relaxed, sometimes
sleepy or languid.
 You must locate the main idea of each paragraph. Watching out for keywords, such as
proper nouns, numbers, italicized foreign terms, jargons, etc., might help you with this.
o Identify the topic.
o Find the main idea.
o Look for the supporting details
o Underline the main idea
Recite:

 Take time to paraphrase what you read out loud while reading. It helps you avoid
plagiarism and helps you remember the main idea at the same time.
 Try to associate read material with life experience. You can use mnemonic devices for
this.

Review:

The more you review and recite, the better the recall. It actually makes your study time more
efficient when this process becomes a consistent study habit.

 Review starts with organization. Make sure that all notes and handouts are inserted in
date order.
 Review your notes and questions created for the daily lesson or chapter.
o Review the highlighted areas of your text.
o Review the comments you made in the text as you read.
o Recite the main points of each section of the chapter.
o Review your index card file.
 Develop study aids like mnemonics for material you must memorize. You can use
association, acrostics, acronyms or whatever you find comfortable with and easy to
remember.
 Create an outline from your texts. This will act as a study guide for the exam.
 Recite the information daily to ensure automatic recall and true learning. Recite the
information in your own words for better comprehension.
 Check and recheck the information where you hesitate or are not able to recall details.

5. Do Skimming
What is skimming?
 Speedy reading for general meaning
 Let’s your eyes skip over sentences or phrases that contain details
 Allows you to concentrate on identifying the central or main points
 Pre-views a selection of text prior to detailed reading
 Refreshes understanding of a text following detailed reading
 Speed reading at basic level
 Works best with non-fiction or factual texts
 Speed ranges from 700-1000 words per minute
This speed-reading process takes place while reading and allows you to look for details in
addition to the main ideas. Many people think that it is a haphazard process placing the eyes
where ever they fall. However, to skim effectively, there has to be a structure but you don’t
read everything.
 Skimming will help you locate the information quickly. It will also increase the amount of
usable material you obtain for your research.

Suppose you have an exam in a few days. You need to review the material you learned, but
you don’t want to reread everything. By skimming, you can quickly locate the information
you haven’t mastered yet and study only that material.

What you read is more important than what you leave out. Let’s say you are doing research
on a long chapter or a web site. By reading the first few paragraphs in detail, you will get a
good idea of what information will be discussed.
 Once you know where the reading is headed, you can begin to read only the first
sentence of each paragraph. Also called topic sentences, they give you the main idea
of the paragraph. If you do not get the main idea in the topic sentence or if the
paragraph greatly interests you, then you may want to skim more.
 At the end of each topic sentence, your eyes should drop down through the rest of
the paragraph, looking for important pieces of information, such as names, dates,
or events.
 Continue to read only topic sentences until you are near the end.
 Stop skimming in the last few paragraphs as they may contain the conclusion or
summary.
 If you feel you are grasping the main ideas while skimming, then you are skimming
correctly. Remember that your overall comprehension will be lower than if you read
in detail.

Ask yourself these questions to decide if you want to use skimming. If you answer yes to any
of these, then skimming is a useful tool for you:

 Is this material non-fiction?

 Do I have a lot to read and only a small amount of time?
 Do I already know something about this?
 Can any of the material be skipped?

6. Do Scanning

What is scanning?

 Passing the vision speedily over a selection of text to find specific words or phrases
 Skipping over large portions of texts to find what you are looking form
 Speed ranges above 1000 words per minute
 Covers more area than skimming within the same amount of time
 Does not require reading of entire texts
 May be limited to specific information and may not help the reader understand the
general idea

Skimming vs. Scanning

Skimming

o Meant to identify main points without identifying the details

o Covers 700-1000 wpm
Scanning

o Meant to identify specific details without understanding the main points

o Covers more than 1000 wpm
For this speed-reading process to be successful, you need to understand how your material is
structured as well as comprehend what you read so you can locate the specific information you
need.

 Establishing your purpose, locating the appropriate material, and knowing how the
information is structured before you start scanning is essential. The material you scan is
typically arranged in the following ways: alphabetically, chronologically, non-alphabetically,
by category, or textually. Sometimes information is located within the written paragraphs of
text, also known as a textual sense, as in an encyclopedia entry.
 Use your hands when scanning. Using your hand or finger is extremely helpful in focusing
your attention and keeping your place while scanning a column of material.
 Use peripheral vision when scanning. When your hand moves down a list of names, you see
not only the name your finger is pointing to, but also the names above and below. Let your
eyes work for you when searching for information.
 Keep the concept of key words in mind while scanning. Your purpose will determine the key
words. Suppose you are looking for the time a train leaves from Pasay City for Quezon City.
The key words to keep in mind are “from Pasay City” and “to Quezon City.”

If you are looking for the cost of a computer printer with the code number L360, the key word to
locate in a list of many printers is “L360.”

When is the right time to scan?

You scan when your aim is to find specific pieces of information. If you were doing the research for a
report, you could scan the index of books, web sites, and reference materials.

The most important benefit of scanning is its ability to help you become a more flexible reader.
Scanning adds another high gear to your reading. Because you may be used to reading every word
and may be uncomfortable leaving some words out, you need to give yourself permission to overlook
some words by skimming, scanning, and skipping material according to your reading purpose.

7. Make Inferences
Making inferences is a comprehension strategy used by proficient readers to “read between
the lines,” make connections, and draw conclusions about the text’s meaning and purpose.
 Inference means concluding based on knowledge and experience.
 Ability to understand implicit messages conveyed by a writer based on the reader’s
schema or background knowledge
 Take two or more details from the reading and see if you can draw a conclusion.
Remember, making an inference is not just making a wild guess. You need to make a
judgment that can be supported.
 When you are asked an inference question, go back over the reading and look for hints
within the text, such as words that are directly related to the question you may be asked or
words that indicate opinion