Reading with a Pen?

Classes begin today at Drury (Hooray! I think I am probably the only person excited to jump back into things)

Once again, one of my goals this semester is to help students become better readers and note-takers. Perhaps, goal is too strong of a word as I "want" to teach this skill but it tends to get lost in the shuffle.

So, I want to offer a few suggestions for students about how to think about reading:

1. Reading should be an active process, not a passive one. You need a pen or a computer to really read!
2. Reading does not begin when your eye glances at the page but when you begin engaging with the text and asking questions.
3. The first question should probably be "what is the main idea." When you locate a possible answer to this question, you should underline it, copy it into your notebook, or type into your computer. Also, you need to label it as a possible thesis. When you finished your first run through the reading assignment, you should review all the possible thesis and try to figure out which one is correct. If you could not find a sentence that contained the main idea, then your job is to write the thesis statement of the piece in your own words.
4. Once you have figured out the main idea, then consider what is the issue or problem the writer is discussing. Evaluate the strength of the connection between the problem or issue and the proposed solution or answer. Also note if this problem is a specialized one, requiring expert or specific knowledge.
5. The second task of the reader is to identify the main evidence or reasoning supporting the thesis or main claim. Once this evidence or reasoning is identified, students should evaluate the relevance, quality, and quantity of this evidence. In most essays, there is a lot of evidence. Your job is to really think through the meaning of this evidence. Like in #3, underline, copy, or type the most important and valuable evidence.
6. The third task of the reader is to determine if the writer recognizes alternative views. Does the acknolwedge that there is an ongoing debate about this topic or issue? Are you persuaded that the writer has complete command of the history of this debate or issue? Has the writer accurately characterized any alternative views or past scholarship on this question? Does the reading address the main concerns or points made within these alternative views? Are there any missing pieces of evidence or reasoning that you wished the author would have discussed? Frequently, it is in this "task" where you can find good paper topics and great questions for class discussion.
7. As you read, write down whatever other questions or concerns you have and jot down the kind of evidence you think is missing.
8. When you have finished "reading," review your notes or underlines regarding the main idea, evidence, and alternative views. Organize your notes or underlines so that you can quickly find these items for your class discussion.
9. Go back and look for any sentences that really nail the argument, stick out to you, seem wrong, or make you angry or frustrated. Save those quotations for possible use in a future paper or quiz.
10. Bring your notes or book to class for easy reference! (Hint: Nothing frustrates a teacher more than students who don't have a book or have no "evidence" that a student has thought about he or she has read).

Anyone who has other ideas or suggestions for how to read, please share them! I will be sure to pass them along to my students!