Analytical Reading

Analytical Reading

One key aspect of reading smarter is taking active control of the reading process. Analytical reading techniques help students mentally organize information, make decisions about their reading, and engage critically with what they read. Students integrate speed reading, previewing, and reporting skills into an active, flexible approach that takes into account both their reader’s purpose and the material at hand.

Building an Organizational Map

One important analytical reading skill is keeping track of a book or article’s organization. Building an organizational map helps readers mentally organize information and follow the author’s development of ideas, an important reader’s purpose for nonfiction.

In any nonfiction book or article, the author presents an idea (or ideas), develops that idea, and finally resolves it. Each author does this differently. In order to build an organizational map, students consider what the author is trying to accomplish in each part of the book. Doing this helps them get a solid grasp of the author’s purpose and how the material is organized to achieve that purpose.

Making Decisions Throughout the Reading Process

Another key aspect of analytical reading is making active decisions about which skills to use and when to use them. When making decisions about their reading, students consider both their reader’s purpose (why they are reading the material) and features of the material, like length and difficulty level. Students learn to experiment and figure out which tools are most appropriate for their reading tasks.

The first decision students make with any reading is how to preview: what to look at in order to ensure maximum comprehension, concentration, and recall. Previewing also sets students up to make good decisions as they read, including determining what to read and what to skip, as well as what speed and which speed reading skills are appropriate for particular material.

Once students begin reading, they need to decide how to approach the material. Here are some questions they might ask: What parts of the material do I need to read very carefully, and what parts can I skim or even skip altogether? Which reporting skills will be useful? Will it be useful to create an organizational map of what I’m reading? How fast can I read this material?

Reading Critically

When students read critically, they bring their own thoughts and opinions to what they read. Reading is like engaging in a mental conversation with the author—the reader isn’t merely absorbing what the author has to say, but contributing his or her own thoughts and ideas.

Here are some things students learn to ask themselves as they read:

• What are the author’s main ideas?
• Do I agree with this author’s ideas? What questions do I have?
• What are some additional examples that support or disprove what this author is saying? Have I read other materials in the past that support or contradict this author’s ideas?
• Where might the author go next with these ideas?
• How does this material connect to my own experiences?