Effective Textbook Reading Strategies Most people read textbooks like novels, which is ineffective for retention. Instead, start by flipping through the pages to get a sense of the chapter's structure and content without reading in detail. Then go to the end of the chapter and review any quizzes or questions provided; this highlights what key information you need to focus on while reading.
Maximizing Retention Through Structured Previewing Next, return to the beginning and read only bold print sections such as titles and subtitles—these indicate important topics. Follow this by skimming first and last sentences of each paragraph for an overview before fully diving into detailed reading with note-taking. This method leverages repetition (the mother of learning) via multiple exposures: initial previewing activates your reticular activating system (internal radar), making it easier to retain critical information effectively.