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Assessing Your Reading Strategies

First, take ten minutes to write a description of yourself as a reader. What do you think about before you begin reading? What do you do as you read? What do you do when you hit a section that's particularly difficult or thought-provoking? What do you do once you've completed reading a piece of writing? Do you usually read something all at once or in stages? Try to be as specific as possible in your description of your reading habits.

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Then, answer the following questions. Check the following points you described in your narrative of reading habits. Do you ...

• Read carefully, either with or without skimming first?
• "Talk back" to what you are reading, noting what does or doesn't make sense, what seems right or wrong?
• Ask questions as you read?
• Make notes in the margins or on a separate sheet of paper?
• Ask yourself why the writer takes the position he or she does?
• Think about the writer's perspective - what his or her interests are in writing the piece?
• Ask how the context (i.e. social, economic, political) of when and where the piece was written or published may have influenced the piece?
• Consider what in your experience or background leads you to agree with or like, or to disagree with or dislike, the piece of writing?
• Imagine other ways of looking at the subjects or ideas presented?
• Summarize what you've read?
• Compare what you're reading with other things you've read on the subject?
• Stop and write about what a confusing passage may mean?
• Mark sections that apply to your purpose in reading (i.e., to contribute in class, something that might work in a paper, etc.)?
• Think of examples that could further support or challenge the author's position?

Adapted from Andrea Lunsford and John Ruszkiewicz, The Presence of Others. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1994: 5-6.