How to become an active reader?

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• 1 Like

  Jessica_Kuba Core Member

  November 2016 461 karma

  Being an active reader means you are constantly reading to stimulate your brain. Reading is different for so many people and we all approach it in a dissimilar manner. Try not to see it as a chore but as something that can benefit you. You can start by reading articles that interest you and that can also hold your attention. I read a lot of ny times articles and the wall street journal, these articles contains subject matters that I am interested in and they can hold my attention for a long time without me becoming bored. I hope this helps, and if you have any other questions don't hesistate to reach out.
• tanes256 Alum Member

  November 2016 edited November 2016 2573 karma

  @"Tina Cho" Cho active reading means not letting your mind drift off. Stay in the passage. Have you ever driven home and had no clue how you got there because you don't remember stopping at any lights or using your blinker once?? Same thing with active reading. It's very easy to just read something because you have to read it. It's another story though to read something and actually know or understand what you just read. How many times have you gotten to the questions and had no clue what the questions were asking or even remembering it even being mentioned in the passage?? If you catch yourself drifting it's best to stop and re-read. You don't necessarily have to have interests in what you're reading. Who cares? Your interest should be scoring whatever your goal is to be accepted to your goal school. That's how I tend to look at it. I couldn't care less about deoxyribonucleic acid!
• 1 Like

  Alex Alum Member ⭐

  November 2016 23929 karma

  @"Tina Cho" said:
  I'm trying, really trying to have interests in the passages but sometimes its really hard to keep concentrate on what it says.
  How do you stay focused and have interests in the passages?
  What is active reader anyway?
  

  Active reading to me is making sure I am actively engaging with the text and asking myself "Why?" as I read. My mind is constantly paying attention to why the author is telling me things and what the point(s) they are trying to convey are.
  
  I kind of just force myself to get engaged and stay interested in the material. After all, this test is important, and the passages aren't THAT long at all. I also imagine the narrative being told in my head like a movie. This also helps me recall info later on!