Table of Contents
Start of Chapter : Use reading strategies
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Use reading paths and reading modes
For material you need to learn and memorize well, you need to make several passes through your reading material. A "reading path" is how you move through the material to maximise your understanding of it. A "reading mode" is a speed you use on a particular pass. You can improve your understanding by making several passes through the material at higher speeds, then slowing down as you "drill down" into the material. At the end, you can then review the material at higher speeds again.
First, we'll look at reading paths. The "context read," "fast skim," "context skim" items you will see below are the reading modes. I discuss these after reading paths.
Use Reading Paths
Think of a reading path as a strategy or overall plan for approaching material you want to learn. There are three general reading paths you can travel. The path you choose will vary according to the material, structure and topic of the material you're reading. The following diagrams explain each path and when to use it.
The Straight Through Path
As you can see below, you read straight through the text without skimming when you use the straight through path. Use this path when you're reading for enjoyment (novels, short stories, etc.) or to build a general understanding without needing to memorize the material.
The Downwards Path
Use the downwards reading path to study material in which the chapters are loosely related. Because the chapters are relatively independent, the most effective way of reading the material is to get an overview by fast skimming, then drilling down within each individual chapter.
This method allows you to judge the quality of the content as it relates to your overall reading objectives. It also helps prevent wasted time on information that's not related to those objectives and keeps you focused on essential content.
The Crossways Path
Use the crossways path when the chapters are tightly related. For example, if you need knowledge of earlier chapters to make sense of later chapters, you should use this technique. The crossways path means you should skim read to deeper levels across the entire book before reading each chapter in detail.
As shown in the flowchart below, you fast skim, context skim, and context read across all the chapters first. You then explore, collect and review each chapter at a time. You might also choose to do the chapters in a different order, based on your initial readings.
Using this path gives you a better understanding of the relationships between topics. Like the downwards path, it also allows you to get a good sense of the content and make choices about what information you need to concentrate on
Use Reading Modes
As we said earlier, a reading mode is a tactic to use when you're reading information. Tactics help you carry out your reading strategy. Each tactic has a specific purpose as shown in the chart below. You use reading modes to start reading material at a high level. You then "drill down" to understand material in more detail. At the end of your reading session, you do review skims to help consolidate and check what you've read. Longer term, you use refresh skims to help you retain what you've learned, perhaps over weeks or months.
You choose which reading modes you need to use based on your overall strategy and the reading path you've chosen. You don't necessarily need to use all of the modes. For example, for a simple reading with easy content, you might just need to use fast skim and context skims to get a good understanding of the information. Alternatively, if you're reading a complex college text on, say, advanced physics, then you'll need to build a solid understanding by using all the modes.
| Reading Mode |
Purpose |
| Overview |
As the name suggests, use this mode to get an overall idea of what the content is about and how it's organized. Overview the following areas: Title, back cover/inside jacket, about the author, preface, introduction, table of contents, book reviews on Amazon.com, etc.
|
| Fast Skim |
Fast skim content to move down a level from the Overview mode. This mode will give you a more specific sense of the content within the book or article you want to read. Fast skim the following areas: chapter headings, chapter introduction, summaries, section headings, etc.
|
| Context Skim |
Context skimming "drills down" to an even more detailed level than fast skimming because you'll look at the specific structure of the information. Context skim the following areas: all headings, key paragraph lines (first, last), pivotal words, italics, bold, key lines, diagrams, bullet point lists, etc.
|
| Context Read |
Read straight through the material at your fluent reading speed. Highlight and look up any unknown words as you progress.
|
| Exploration Read |
The purpose of an Exploration Read is to understand and highlight key points, concepts and ideas. Use exploration techniques in the rest of the comprehension chapter. This mode involves a slower, more thorough read, which may involve going back over material until you completely understand it. You might also use exploration techniques outlined in the next chapter.
|
| Collection/Extraction Read |
The purpose of this mode is to pull out information and create review notes or type material into SuperMemo (a software program discussed in the Memletics Accelerated Learning Manual). It also helps you work out what you need to memorize, and then memorize it.
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| Review Read and Skim |
Use this mode soon after reading to check your understanding of the information and your memory of it. Fast read or skim read sections when using this mode. Look for your highlights, notes, comments, etc.
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| Refresh Skim |
Just as the name suggests, sometime after a reading (e.g., weeks or even months later), skim read to refresh your memory on key points etc. You should review your notes and highlight key information. This mode should be faster than the Review Read mode.
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Tip: When to use reading and regulator techniques
As shown in the above chart, use fluent reading and skim reading techniques based on the mode you are using. In addition to these techniques, you can apply different regulator paths to reading modes. For example, use the S or Z regulator paths for the fast skim, context skim, review read/skim (i.e., fast reading) modes. During context read and for exploration read, use the line-by-line regulator for more detailed reading.
Next : Vary your speed when you read
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