UTA Writing Center

Handout on Reading Tips

What are some tips for reading more efficiently or quickly?

  • Look quickly for words that may stump you later, and look them up before reading. This will save time in the long run because there will be fewer stops once you get started.
  • Don’t skip over illustrations and tables. While some students can find these intimidating, they often help give insight on what the material is discussing.
  • Look at the material a few words at a time, rather than one at a time. While difficult at first, this helps to save time and absorb more at once.
  • Personalize the material. Sometimes the best way to better understand the reading or read it quickly is to motivate yourself. Come up with questions or other prompts to relate the material to you before reading the assignment.
  • Look for habits that slow down your reading. For example, lip reading or pronouncing the words as you read often goes more slowly than reading silently.
  • Use some sort of pointer. For example, your hand, your pencil, or a notecard. This will prevent skipping material or going back over the same paragraphs more than once accidentally.
  • Practice! Make time to practice reading material at a faster pace while still retaining the same information. Like all things, it gets easier the more you do it.

What are some tips for reading difficult material?

  • Skim once before reading in-depth. The instructions of the assignment and topic sentences within the reading can give an idea of what the material is going to discuss. This gives context and makes it easier to wrap your head around the reading later.
  • Look for connections to elements already learned. How does this relate to previous readings for the class?
  • Focus on key words.Look for words or sections that are bolded, italicized, or otherwise distinguished by the author.
  • Write in the margins, then review it. Jot down what you think are the main points, and check to see if that remains true after finishing the reading. Sometimes it helps to periodically take a break to process what you have learned so far.
  • As you read, put the material in your own words. Compare your summaries to the ones in the book. How would you write a summary to explain it to someone else? Occasionally, outlines are also a viable way to do this.
  • Look for supplemental sources. Are there other readings on the material that can give insight or connections to the current reading?
  • Get interactive. Talk to other students or the professor about the reading to hear their insight or interpretations.