As a dual credit student, you do a LOT of academic reading — more than the average high school student, that’s for sure. But are you retaining what you read so you can apply your new-found knowledge and ace your exams?
No matter where you are in the dual credit process, you’ll find these 7 strategies helpful for improving your reading skills this semester.
Turn headings into questions — Before you read each chapter, skim the headings. If the heading is St. Patrick Introduces Christianity to Ireland, change it to – How (or when) did St. Patrick introduce Christianity to Ireland? Keep a reading journal to write down and answer your questions.
Enter into a dialogue with the author — Pretend the author of your text is talking to you. Ask questions, hold debates, and make clarifications. This will go a long way toward helping you remember key issues.
Make use of outlines, diagrams, and flowcharts — This is especially useful if you’re a visual learner. Start with the main points, and work your way out toward specifics. Use your diagram as a study guide.
Summarize each paragraph into one sentence — Figure out the main point of each paragraph as you’re reading, and turn it into a single sentence. When you’re finished reading, you’ll have a short and concise summary of what you’ve read. You just made another study guide!
Create your own exam questions based on your reading — Based on your knowledge of taking tests, it can be a fun learning experience to try and figure out what the exam questions will be. Try and do this before you take a real practice test, while you’re still digesting the information.
Teach what you’ve learned — Grab a friend or a parent and hold them hostage while you teach them everything you know about what you are reading. Explain each concept simply and accurately, then have your student repeat back what they’ve learned.
Make a video or a voice recording — Similar to the suggestion above, except this time, instead of teaching a friend or parent, you’re teaching yourself. Film yourself or record your voice explaining what you just learned as if you were talking to someone who knows nothing about the topic. You’ve just created your last study guide!
When reading academic texts and other complicated material, it pays to really immerse yourself in your topic. While it may be tempting to “just get it over with,” the methods outlined above will help you retain what you’ve learned and succeed on your exams.
