<p>Since it's that time when we all cram for AP's, I thought I might bring up a thread about reading. I know that there's some people at my school who can read a thick study guide in around 4-5 hours and recall everything. Yes, practice is a key factor, but there must be other methods (taking notes in a certain way, visualizing) that are extremely effective. And thus, I'm curious on how all of you read. </p>
<p>So... I thought I might just ask these questions: </p>
<p>How do you read literary passages and fiction books in general?
How do you read biology, history, and science books?
Do you read actively? If yes, then how so?
Do you use any other methods when reading? If yes, then how so? </p>
<p>You can also post your SAT Verbal, AP scores, etc, but try to be honest. </p>
<p>I’m a mom, but I discovered several years ago, when I went back to college, that I needed to reduce a paragraph of text to a flowchart, or a picture, or whatever. I just drew the appropriate picture to substitute for the text–and the picture was placed next to the text, in the margin, if there was enough room, and usually there was. It helped when studying. I am very visual and I recall better when I translate the text into a picture or whatever–that old ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. Try that and see if it helps you.</p>
<p>How do you read? What? I just look at the words and understand their meaning when arranged in sentences. No crazy techniques or anything.</p>
<p>I guess a lot of “practice” (with novels you enjoy) really is the most important thing because you are more likely to be familiar with every word and unusual phrase you come across. Novels work better than textbooks becuase it is easier to understand what something means, even if you have never seen it before based on the context and story.
750+ CR and Writing</p>
<p>How do you read literary passages and fiction books in general?
Quickly. I’m a visual learner, and so I picture everything I read in my mind. It helps me remember details.
How do you read biology, history, and science books?
Aloud usually, trying to use another sense, the sense of sound. If not, I find myself reading the same sentence over and over. And actually, I don’t usually read textbooks… I skim them for important keywords and phrases, or I just depend on what was taught in class. When it comes time to a test, I can usually picture the page where the information is in my head. Not quite photographically because it’s a fuzzy picture. I dunno how that will work out in college…
Do you read actively? If yes, then how so?
<p>Lan - 5
SAT CR - 800
SAT 2 Lit - 720 (it had poetry! of which I’m no great fan. + it was my last one, and I was tired and bored, and kinda gave up when I saw the needlessly flowery prose :/)</p>
<p>How do you read literary passages and fiction books in general?
-Not entirely sure I understand the question, but I suppose I read when I’m in a relaxed state and free from any conflicting thoughts or emotions, and so let whatever feelings the book evokes wash over me. If I find reason to think a bit, then I usually sit there for a few minutes (which can last for a while longer, at times), exploring whatever tangents might come my way. This happens quite often, actually.
How do you read biology, history, and science books?
Err, also in a relaxed state, but with increased emphasis on the tangents (so that I might best integrate whatever new material I’m reading into what I already know, and so as to forge a cohesive whole of everything that I’m absorbing) and decreased emphasis on the emotional experience.
Do you read actively? If yes, then how so?
Actively as in… opposite from passively? In the sense that I often pause to analyze what’s going on and collect and explore my thoughts on the matter at hand, sure.
Do you use any other methods when reading? If yes, then how so?
When I need to read quickly, I refrain from subvocalization, but usually I’ve all the time in the world and can indulge in my favored reading styles…</p>
<p>SAT CR: 760
AP Language: 5
SAT II (Lit): 770</p>
<p>How do you read literary passages and fiction books in general?
Fiction books I just… read. I usually picture things in my mind as I go along too. (And well-written books will always make it easier to picture things.) Literary passages it depends. If I’m supposed to be paying attention to a rhetorical feature then I’ll be on the lookout for that. Otherwise I’ll read through it and read it again if I need to, like if there are questions or something.
How do you read biology, history, and science books?
I have to have some kind of reinforcement with these, especially history texts. Like taking notes or re-reading things or saying things out loud or reading supplementary material. Otherwise I can’t really retain the info; I’ll only be able to roughly picture where I saw some statement or other (like aberdeen said).
Do you read actively? If yes, then how so?
I don’t know… definitely not if I’m tired/sleepy because then I’ll “read” pages and pages but not be able to remember anything.</p>
<p>I feel dumb for getting a 5 on AP Lang but only a 700 CR. </p>
<p>Why is there such a discrepancy? =/</p>
<p>How do you read literary passages and fiction books in general?
-I always tend to remember odd details instead of the main concepts.
How do you read biology, history, and science books?
-Science books are harder to understand if there is no accompanying picture. History books are easy since they just have lots of details.
Do you read actively? If yes, then how so?
-I write tons of stuff in margins, underline stuff, and circle stuff. You can definitely tell if I’ve read a book or if I just spark notes-ed it by the amount of writing in my books.
Do you use any other methods when reading? If yes, then how so?
-Skimming. Looking at pictures. =P</p>
<p>I got a 5 on AP Lang, 680 on CR, and 620 on SAT 2 Literature. That is absolute fail right there.</p>
<p>I read insanely quick, but I tend to pick up the most important details. I tend to read science books much slower to take in things better. Diagrams seem to help me immensely, probably because I get bored of the actual text.</p>
<p>How do you read literary passages and fiction books in general? Books I like I can chunk words together and see imagery as I read. Kinda like a movie.<br>
How do you read biology, history, and science books? Look at topics titles. Summaries. read. maybe internet unclear info.
Do you read actively? If yes, then how so? For me, I read more active when it’s a science/math book. See above. After reading a fiction book once or twice, I’ll think about the characters and stuff.
Do you use any other methods when reading? If yes, then how so? dunno</p>
<p>How do you read literary passages and fiction books in general?
I either really like it and finish quickly without missing a single detail, or I don’t like it at all and finish in a painfully slow manner (or never).</p>
<p>How do you read biology, history, and science books?
Science- I make sure I understand the cause behind whatever phenomenon the textbook is describing and try to piece things together. This way I don’t have to study later, because it will all be logically connected already.
History- lol it’s pretty much the same as how I read novels. though sometimes I take a moment to inculcate names into my head.</p>
<p>Do you read actively? If yes, then how so?
Sorry, I have no clue what this means.</p>
<p>Do you use any other methods when reading? If yes, then how so?
I guess I kind of automatically filter out fluff (sentences that are just for style/connectedness, rather than sentences with information) when I read textbooks though? If that can be called a method?</p>
<p>edit: and my CR score is 800.</p>
<p>The best tip I can give for academic reading (like for textbooks and what have you) is to think about how everything connects, or even if it doesn’t seem to connect, relate things to each other anyway so you can remember them better. Like, this year is 2009. 100 years ago, the NAACP was founded. 200 years ago, Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born. Everything is easier to remember in relation to each other.</p>
<p>Hmmm…I never really thought there were a lot of different ways to read I just read “normally,” although when I have to get a LOT of reading done for research, I do scanning (look for key words and go through page after page really fast…basically quote-searching).</p>
<p>Very insightful information imo. My CR score is a 630 (4 on Eng Lit), and I can see why some of you can read, say, cliff notes bio overnight and get a 5.</p>
I just read “normally,” although when I have to get a LOT of reading done for research, I do scanning (look for key words and go through page after page really fast…basically quote-searching).</p>