Reading Comprehension Techniques

Reading Techniques

• Reading is a cognitive process that involves decoding symbols, constructing meaning, sharing information, and comprehending language.
• Reading techniques are methods used to decode symbols for better understanding in communication.

Scanning

• Scanning is a reading technique used to locate specific facts or information quickly without reading the entire text.
• Effective for finding names, dates, statistics, or facts.
• Strategies include keeping the desired information in mind, anticipating the form of the information, and quickly scanning lines of text, then reading the entire sentence once the information is located.

Skimming

• Skimming is a reading technique that involves quickly moving the eyes over text to grasp the main ideas and general content overview.
• Useful for pre-reading, reviewing already read texts, and reading texts with less detailed information.
• Strategies include reading the title, introduction, first sentences of paragraphs, and the first, middle, or last sentence.

Phrase Reading

• Phrase reading involves dividing sentences into "chunks" or "phrases" for faster reading and improved comprehension.
• A phrase is a group of consecutive words that may or may not have a meaning.

Non-Prose Reading

• Non-prose materials use visual forms like words, symbols, pictures, and drawings to summarize information.
• Graphs are visual representations of quantitative data which allows the reader to quickly grasp how data relates to each other, including bar graphs, pie graphs, line graphs, and pictographs.
• Diagrams show relationships between parts, elements, or steps of a process using lines and symbols, this includes tree charts, timelines, and process diagrams.
• Charts are visuals that summarize data, explain a process, or describe relationships, such as flow charts and organizational charts.
• Maps are flat representations of the earth showing geographical areas using scales and models.

Note-Taking

• Note-taking is a writing activity performed during listening or reading to record key points and information like lectures, seminars, videos, and audio.
• This can serve as a study aid, or for reference.

Mapping Method

• The mapping method is a visual way to represent the content of a lecture, that connects a main idea to supporting ideas.

Sentence Method

• The sentence method cautions the use of abbreviations, and remembering. See textbook pages 29-30 for more context.

Charting Method

• The charting method is a visualization that draws a table, then labels appropriate headings and fills out the rows

Cornell Method

• The Cornell method provides a systematic format for summarizing and organizing notes.

Outlining Method

• The outlining method is a blueprint or summary of a long and elaborate text that relates main ideas with supporting ideas.
• The Roman Numeral outline separates sections using roman numerals.
• The Dewey Decimal outline separates sections using decimals
• The Alpha-Numeric separates sections using a-z letters.

Paragraph Structure

• A paragraph is a group of sentences about a particular subject matter.
• The topic is a word or group of words stating the subject matter.
• The main idea is a complete sentence describing the topic.
• Supporting ideas are specific proofs or explanations of a topic.
• Summary
  • Concise statements in paragraph form should always be shorter than the original material being summarized
  • Readers can sort through to pull out key information and give the main idea of a topic.
  • Minor or irrelevant details are omitted.
  • Skim, scan, and then label what you see. Then construct a thesis.

Ice Cream

• Four manufacturers exist, those include Randolph farms, Goodies, Disco, and Twinkle.

Dog ownership

• Adult dogs are better than puppies since they are mature and well trained. See information around the dogs in the pounds

Generalization Type

• It can be a broad statement indicating a characteristic of things, people,.
• This is based on fact, info, experience and or observation.
• Valid generalization: backed up by logic and facts.
• It has correct reasoning and real examples.
• Faulty generalizations: these are illogical, and or has exemptions.
• They use reasoning that is poor or untrue.

Inference

• This is a conclusion from analyzing information and using what is known.

Sentence construction

• A subject is the topic
• Verb is the action
• Predicate is the description of the topic.
• There can be independent clauses where meaning or thought can be expressed.
• Dependent clauses is one that needs context on it, it lacks meaning on it's own.

Sentence types

• Simple: 1 idea
• Compound: 2 simple ideas combined
• Complex: it's like a detailed sentence/ idea
• Complex-compound: It's a sentence that has detailed thoughts and 2 combined ideas like and.

Declarative

• It is a statement

Imperative

• It is command or request

Interrogative

• it is question

Exclamatory

• Strong emotion

Elements of a paragraph - Paragraph Design

• These sentences should be organized next to each other, aka writing beside. This should follow a single idea/topic.
• Topic sentence: this is the main idea. Can be at the start, middle, the end.
• Supporting sentence: these will back up that idea.
• Concluding Sentence: it will leave the final thought.
• Types of paragraph design.
  • Narrative: Gives specific pieces taking action according to a set time.
  • Descriptive: describes visual aspects like observation.
  • Illustrative: gives instances for a concept

Building blocks of a paragraph

• Unity: all sentences and the topic should be next to each other.
• Emphasis: emphasis with space so concepts get priority.
• Coherence: ideas in a logical order, with transition words.
• Order: This has orderly movement of the statements. Can have relation to past order