CRCB CH. 1- Reading in College summary

According to the author the average student who reads a book without using any learning strategies will remember only 10% of what they read two weeks later. However, if the student uses the strategies presented in the book then they will be able to remember up to 90% of what they read two weeks later. Reading is an active process that depends on both the author’s ability to convey meaning using words and your ability to create meaning from them. To become a successful reader you must constantly connect what you already know about the information to the words the author has written. A reader’s ability to read college-level texts can be greatly enhanced if they learn, practice, and apply specific reading strategies. Concentration is a skill that can be learned with patience and perseverance. It is the ability to focus exclusively on a project and to ignore all else. Learning with purpose occurs when you actively engage with what you are reading. A reader can develop effective study habits and increase their concentration by learning about themselves and their preferred learning style.
Internal and external concentration blocks are things that distract you when you are reading or studying. Internal distracters come from inside. They are feelings, worries, and thoughts. External distracters come from your environment; they include music, television, and phone calls. There are techniques to help a reader improve their concentration. The author also lists several tips for creating a successful study environment, such as don’t read or do homework in bed, which is something I use to do quite often. I would end up falling asleep and not finishing my homework, that unhealthy habit would stress me out so much. Having a positive mental attitude helps a great deal. It is so hard to study or complete homework when you’re angry, or down in the dumps. The information in this chapter was useful but over the past several months I learned these tips and techniques on my own. I don’t do homework in bed anymore, I turn the TV off when I’m studying, I don’t talk on the phone while studying. One area I could improve in is retaining the information I read for longer periods of time.