What Is Reading?

Reading is a multifaceted process involving word recognition, comprehension, fluency, and motivation. Learn how readers integrate these facets to make meaning from print.

The Purpose of Reading

The purpose of reading is to obtain knowledge, or to receive the experience, insight, or imagination of others.

Improving Comprehension.

Reading comprehension requires motivation, mental frameworks for holding ideas, concentration and 

good study techniques. Here are some suggestions.

1.Develop a broad background. 

Broaden your background knowledge by reading newspapers, magazines and books. Become interested in world events 

2.Know the structure of paragraphs.

Good writers construct paragraphs that have a beginning, middle and end. Often, the first sentence will 

give an overview that helps provide a framework for adding details. Also, look for transitional words, 

phrases or paragraphs that change the topic. 

3.Identify the type of reasoning. 

Does the author use cause and effect reasoning, hypothesis, model building, induction or deduction, 

systems thinking? 

4.Anticipate and predict. 

Really smart readers try to anticipate the author and predict future ideas and questions. If you're right, 

this reinforces your understanding. If you're wrong, you make adjustments quicker. 

5.Look for the method of organization. 

Is the material organized chronologically, serially, logically, functionally, spatially or hierarchical? See 

section 10 for more examples on organization. 

7.Create motivation and interest.

Preview material, ask questions, discuss ideas with classmates. The stronger your interest, the greater 

your comprehension. 

8.Pay attention to supporting cues.

Study pictures, graphs and headings. Read the first and last paragraph in a chapter, or the first sentence in each section.

9.Highlight, summarize and review.

Just reading a book once is not enough. To develop a deeper understanding, you have to highlight, 

summarize and review important ideas. 

10.Build a good vocabulary. 

For most educated people, this is a lifetime project. The best way to improve your vocabulary is to use a dictionary regularly. You might carry around a pocket dictionary and use it to look up new words. Or, 

you can keep a list of words to look up at the end of the day. Concentrate on roots, prefixes and endings. 

11.Use a systematic reading technique like SQR3.

Develop a systematic reading style, like the SQR3 method and make adjustments to it, depending on 

priorities and purpose. The SQR3 steps include Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review. 

12.Monitor effectiveness.

Good readers monitor their attention, concentration and effectiveness. They quickly recognize if they've 

missed an idea and backup to reread it.