How Do You Read A Long Book Or Document?
• Be rested. If at all possible, get enough sleep before you begin, so that you won’t be too tempted to nod off when you should be pressing on. • Give yourself adequate time to read. You simply can’t read an entire 400-page book in the hour before class, so start as soon as you can. • Eliminate distractions. Turn off your TV, computer, and phone. Close the door. Find or make a quiet place to read. Retreat to an office, library, or back room. • Break the task into smaller parts. You will still need enough time in each sitting for some continuity and understanding, but you need not read in marathon sessions. Instead, set out to read for an hour, or even half an hour at a time. Alternatively, choose to complete a set number of pages in each sitting. It is easier to get started if you know when you will finish. Take breaks every half hour or hour to restore circulation to your legs and keep yourself awake. • Determine why you are doing this reading. Is it a class assignment? Do you need to
