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What is Reading? < http://www.readingmatrix.com/reading/what_is_reading.html >

In a general sense, reading is what happens when people look at a text and assign meaning to the written symbols in that text. The text and the reader are both necessary for the reading process to begin. It is, however, the interaction between the text and the reader that constitutes actual reading. Reading is an interactive process in which readers interact with the text in order to make meaning. This process involves the use of comprehension or reading strategies. Readers bring to each text, areas of knowledge (content, formal, and linguistic schema), plus reading strategies that are crucial in shaping what happens in the reading process. While the text remains the same, the information the reader brings to the text fluctuates as comprehension grows. Content schema refers to systems of factual knowledge, values, and cultural conventions. It provides readers with a foundation or a basis of comparison. For example, you may be very familiar with how a marriage is performed in your own culture but may not be aware of these cultural conventions in another culture or context. Formal schema, which is also referred to as textual schema, has to do with organizational forms and rhetorical structures of texts and genres (mystery novels, recipes, advertisements, autobiography, plays, letters, short stories, journal articles, newspaper articles, etc.). Your schooling and cultural experiences have most likely given you a knowledge base of formal schemata. Linguistic schema, sometimes known as language schema, refers to sentence structure, grammatical inflections, vocabulary, cohesive structures. For example, if you have studied a particular grammar rule in your first language, you might be able to make use of that information to decipher the meaning of a word, phrase, or sentence. In essence, to read effectively, you must make use of reading strategies and various types of schemata.

Concentrating  < http://www.readingmatrix.com/reading/mental_processing.html >

If you are like most college students, one of your biggest problems in reading is keeping your mind on the subject. Do you realize that your mind is able to process information much faster than your eyes can move? When the mind has this extra time, it often drifts off to other thoughts and ideas. As a result, you lose track of what the writer is trying to say. Interruptions and distracting thoughts are problems that many college students encounter when trying to concentrate. Take a look at some of reasons you may be distracted. Do any of these happen to you?

• I am too tired or sleepy.
• I can't read or study if it is too quiet.
• The telephone interrupts me often.
• I keep thinking of things I need to do.
• I am worried about my job (children, money, spouse)
• My children/roommates interrupt me constantly.
• What I'm reading doesn't seem important.
• Things I am assigned to read often do not interest me.

Tips to Help You Concentrate

1. A student's concentration is often affected by the time of day. The best time to read is different for different people. Many people are more alert in the morning. Therefore some students might do well if they read their assignments between their morning classes or on weekends. Others would likewise improve their reading if they considered their biological clocks. Avoid reading when you are least alert.
2. Students frequently complain that they can't read if it's too quiet, so they turn on the television or radio. This only increases the time needed to complete a reading assignment, because your time must be divided between entertainment and reading. Obviously, concentration problems increase. To improve situation you might want to rely on "white noise." Turn off the TV or radio but find something that will make constant sound, like a fan for example. The important consideration here is that you avoid anything that might compete for your attention.
3. Some students find it helpful to keep a notepad nearby when they are trying to read or study. Then, when worries or concerns interfere with their concentration, they can create a "jot list" of things to deal with at another time. By doing this, you immediately remove the distraction.
4. When students feel that what they are reading is uninteresting or unimportant, the problem is usually their attitude. College takes determination, commitment, and many hours of long, hard work. If you are constantly giving yourself negative messages, you can expect to experience frustration, anxiety, and probably some failure. Look for something interesting in everything you read. Develop a hunger for knowledge. In other words, adjust your attitude.

 

Study Habits  < http://www.readingmatrix.com/reading/study_skills.html >

There are a number of reasons why students do not perform well in school or why they may have difficulty in class. Some of the most common reasons include:

• Not studying or reading enough.
• Wasting time when studying.
• Reading materials but not retaining it.
• Having trouble getting ready to study, often because they don't have all the materials they need or they have other things on their minds.
• Finding a good place to read or to study.
• Knowing about, and using effective reading, studying, and learning strategies.

The following suggestions will help you avoid these problems:

SET UP A SCHEDULE
Many students work while they are going to school and many are involved in other school activities. This means you have to organize your studying time. Try to set up a schedule for yourself and stick to it. Allocate more time for the most difficult classes. This will help you to maximize the hours that you do have in a day. This will also help you to find time for your social activities, which you certainly do not have to miss out on.

GRADUALLY INCREASE STUDY TIMES
Reading and Studying can be considered skills. That means that in order to improve a skill, you need to practice it. Most study skills programs suggest reading for 10-15 minute increments your freshman year, 20 minutes your sophomore year, 25 minutes your junior year, 30 minutes your senior year and 45 minutes to an hour in graduate school. So, work towards reading for longer periods of time. Just remember to be realistic. If you can no longer concentrate or remember what you have read, stop. There's no sense in wasting your valuable time.

TAKE BREAKS
Take breaks when studying. If you get to a point where you feel like you need to take a break, and you don't, you probably won't retain what you read. The average attention span for one task is approximately 30 minutes. Study small portions of material, take a break and then read some more. We retain a great deal more if we learn in small manageable portions, than when we attempt to learn a great deal of information at once. The worst thing to do as a students is to cram a lot of material into a short amount of time. It is a poor method for retaining information, and a poor method for preparing my exams. Even if you are enjoying your reading or studying, take some breaks. You do not want to get burned out.

REWARD YOURSELF
Reward yourself for studying, learning a difficult concept, or completing a project. Go to a movie, spend time with your friends, or do the things you put off in order to study. This reinforces your behavior. You are more likely to study again and concentrate if you know there is a reward at the end of completing a task.

FIND A GOOD LOCATION
Where you study can influence your concentration and your success in accomplishing a giving task.  A comfortable place in a library, a study hall or even in your favorite café is preferable to lying in bed.

USE THE SAME PLACE FOR STUDYING
This will help you associate that particular location with studying and will facilitate concentration.

MAKE SURE IT IS A QUIET PLACE
Seeking a quiet well-lit study area is equally important. A radio blaring in the background, a stereo blaring next door, and the sounds of an interesting conversation are but a few of the factors that can disturb a study area.

ELIMINATE THE OBVIOUS DISTRACTIONS
Some of the more common distractions Are telephone calls or friends and family stopping by to chat. Put up the newspapers, magazines, and unfinished projects. Even the sight of a textbook from another class can serve as a reminder of how far behind you are in another class, causing you to waste time worrying. Once you become aware of these simple distractions, you can eliminate them and improve your
study skills.

REMEMBER THAT MEMORY IS "CONTEXT DEPENDENT"
Studying in a physical situation similar to the one in which you will be tested increases your chances to recall information. (This is another reason why studying in bed does not work!) Make your studying situation as similar as possible to the testing situation. When possible, go review your materials in the classroom.

MEMORY IS ALSO "STATE DEPENDENT"
Studying in an emotional mood similar to the one you experience during tests increases your chances to recall studied information. When studying, keep the same focus and enhanced attention you have in your tests. Being too relaxed during your study time would not match the level of activation you reach during your tests. You need to increase your concentration and activation levels while studying to increase your chances to recall the studied material when tested. The reverse is applicable to tests. If you get too psyched-up or tensed-up during your tests, you will not be able to recall your material because your test mood state will not match your studying mood. This is the reason why it is so important to calm down in a testing situation.

Some General Study Hints

BE AWARE OF THE "INTERFERENCE" PHENOMENON
When memorizing, also keep in mind that interference can occur. In fact, learning new material can interfere or cause you to forget old material. Try to memorize material for each class on a different day. This is also why it helps to review the night before, or a few hours before, the test. You have less chance of other information interfering with the acquisition of the test material.

GO TO CLASS
Attendance is crucial. Studies have found a positive correlation between class attendance and grades. In fact the higher the attendance rate, the higher your grades are likely to be. Most professors believe that their lecture material is important. If you miss class you miss what is important to the professor; hence, what is most likely to end up on the test.

PARTICIPATE IN CLASS
In order to learn more in class it helps to become involved by participating in class discussions. Asking questions for clarification and maintaining eye contact with your professor can increase your involvement and enhance concentration of the class discussion. Use active listening skills. This means hearing what your professor is saying and trying to anticipate what he or she is going to say next. One other hint: if your course material is difficult be sure to read the material prior to class. This may help you understand and follow more closely.

IF YOU NEED TO MISS A CLASS
If you have to miss class, let your professor know. It is very helpful to have a reliable classmate from whom you can get the notes. Exchange phone numbers so that you can rely on each other for notes in case of an emergency.

TAKE GOOD NOTES
Proper note taking skills can facilitate understanding of lecture material. Try not to write everything down. Be concise and sum up lecture material in your own words whenever possible. Write down unfamiliar terms. Review your notes as soon after class as possible. You can fill in details that you missed and review the material while it is still fresh on your mind.

USE YOUR TEXTBOOK
Some professors follow the book closely. In this case it may be helpful to take the book to class and highlight important topics or terms and write notes in the margins.

TALK TO YOUR PROFESSOR
If you are struggling in your class, talk to your professor. He or she may be able to assist you or send you in the right direction to get the resources you need. However, do not wait until the last minute. Most professors have little sympathy for students who become concerned about failing during the last few weeks of the semester.

FORM OR JOIN A STUDY GROUP
Get study groups together. Chose those students who seem interested in the class. Make sure everyone is familiar with the material before meeting as you do not want
to spend time re-teaching material to someone who has not learned the material. It helps if these study groups serve to review material already learned or to clarify problem areas. Make sure everyone is motivated. Beware! Sometimes groups can become chatting sessions, just make sure you all remember your purpose: to learn class material. After the test, reward yourselves with pizza and conversation.

START AT THE BEGINNING
Start studying from the first day. Be ahead in the reading material.

KEEP UP IN AN ORGANIZED FASHION
Some classes require more work or effort than others. For example, math and foreign language are subjects which require daily work. Because these classes require knowledge of basic material which then builds, if you don't keep up you'll be lost.