How to Keep Up With a College Reading Load
Time Management, Comprehension, and Outlining Tips
Oct 23, 2008
As students quickly find out, one of the biggest ways that college is different than high school is the reading load. A quick glance at just about any college syllabus reveals page lengths and difficulty levels that are far more challenging. Here are some tips to help you tackle all these reading assignments.
Complete the Reading When It's Assigned
One of the biggest study skills mistakes that students make is putting work off until the last minute – including the readings. When students cram in hundreds of pages of reading at the last minute, it's impossible to retain much information. Instead, use the class syllabus as a guide to completing the readings for the days they are assigned. This will also help you get more out of the course, as the readings correspond to lectures and classroom activities.
Time Management
Time management is one of the most important skills a college student needs to learn, and part of this is mapping out your workload ahead of time. Students should sit down periodically with their syllabi and figure out how much time is needed to complete the work – and course readings need to be included in this time allotment process.
One important tip: don't try to do all the reading at once. Space out a given number of pages every night. This will help you concentrate and retain information. In addition, make sure you set aside enough time to finish the readings. Remember, tougher readings require more time.
Reading Comprehension: The "Main Idea"
Remember in fourth grade when you had to read short passages and locate the main idea? This seemingly simplistic skill is what you need when tackling hundreds of passages of dry, monotonous college reading.
Before you get started, and as you read, look for thesis statements, section headers, and other clues that help you determine what the main point is that the author is trying to make. If you are reading a textbook, that information is probably laid out at the end of the chapters so take advantage of this.
In your notebook or on a computer document, write down the main idea of the work as a whole, as well as the main ideas for chapters and sections. When it comes to retaining information, this is more than half the battle!
Preparing a Study Outline
After locating the main ideas, use these to help piece together a working outline of the reading. Using a computer can help with this, as the ability to cut and paste information will come in handy. When it comes time to study for the exam, review the outline.
It's a waste of time to include all the details from the reading. The trick is to summarize. Your outline should contain:
- Information that is discussed in detail
- Important definitions
- Important dates
- Information about important people and events
- Any information that is also discussed in class, as that's a clue that your teacher thinks these details are important and might be on the exam
On the other hand, be sure to include enough information in your outline. For example, be sure to write down a complete explanation of all definitions, or your notes will make no sense to you when it's time to study.
Getting into Your Reading Groove
Learning how to tackle a college reading load takes time, but it does get easier. Spend some time developing time management and outlining strategy, and eventually you'll figure out what works best for you.
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