Active Reading Skills

I. IMPROVING YOUR SKILLS.

1. Reading Actively.


Keys to Academic Success.



Read and Learn Actively.



Preview Before Reading.



Use Guide Questions.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “Diversity in U.S. Families.”

2. Using Context and Word Parts.


What is Context?



Types of Context Clues.



What Are Word Parts?



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “Unfair Advantage.”

3. Locating Main Ideas.


What Is a Main Idea?



Understanding General Versus Specific.



Identifying the Topic.



Finding the Main Idea.



Finding the Central Thought.



Learn More About Paragraphs.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “Environmental Racism.”

4. Identifying Details and Transitions.


What Are Supporting Details?



Recognizing Transitions.



Putting It All Together.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “Talking A Stranger Through the Night.”

5. Understanding Implied Main Ideas.


What Does Implied Mean?



Remembering General Vs. Specific.



How to Find Implied Main Ideas in Paragraphs.



Working With Paragraphs.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “Sex and Symmetry.”

6. Keeping Track of Information.


Why Keep Track of Information?



Highlighting and Marking.



Outlining.



Mapping.



Summarizing.



Good Reasons to Keep Track Of Information.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “Personal Safety Online.”

7. Recognizing Patterns I.


What Are Patterns of Organization?



Combining Patterns of Organization.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “Animals at Play,” (Textbook Excerpt).

8. Recognizing Patterns II.


Comparison/Contrast Patterns.



Other Useful Patterns.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “The Mind-Body Connection.”

9. Reading Critically: Inferences and Author's Purpose.


What Is Inference?



Understanding Author's Purpose.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “If Our Son is Happy, What Else Matters?”

10. Reading Critically: Fact and Opinion.


Is It Fact or Opinion?



Mixing Fact and Opinion.



Evaluating Fact and Opinion.



Informed Opinion.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “Canine Candy Stripers.”

11. Reading Critically: Tone and Bias.


Tone.



Bias.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “Explaining Away Hate.”

12. Reading Arguments.


What is an Argument?



Parts of an Argument.



Questions for Evaluating Arguments.



Errors in Logical Reasoning.



Arguments in Academic Writing.



Reading Selection (Mastery Test 3) “ANWAR Oil: An Alternative to War over Oil.”

II. Student Resource Guide.

A. Learning from Textbooks.
B. Test Taking Strategies.
C. Reading and Evaluating Electronic Sources.
D. Real World Reading Strategies.
III. TEXTBOOK READINGS.



Textbook Reading 1: Hispanic Americans: A Growing Market Segment. From Consumer Behavior by Michael. R. Solomon.



Textbook Reading 2: Lovers. From The Interpersonal Communications Book, 9th Ed. by Joseph A. DeVito.



Textbook Reading 3: Individuals in Groups. From Invitation to Psychology by Carole Wade and Carol Tavris.



Textbook Reading 4: The Mass Media and the Political Agenda. From Government in America, 10th Ed. by George C. Edwards III, Martin P. Wattenberg, and Robert L. Lineberry.



Textbook Reading 5: The Effects of Predator-Prey Interactions. From Life on Earth, 3rd Ed. by Teresa Audersirk, Gerald Audersirk, and Bruce E. Byers.

IV. ADDITIONAL READINGS.



Reading Selection 1: Right Place, Wrong Face, Alton Fitzgerald White.



Reading Selection 2: Seoul Searching, Rich Reikky.



Reading Selection 3: Bugs in Your Pillow, David Bodanis.



Reading Selection 4: The Chaser, John Collier.



Reading Selection 5: The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin.

CREDITS.

INDEX.