Like most people, you probably chose the middle one. The first number is difficult to read and too tough to remember in that form. So, we need to break down the number a bit to get a better picture of the whole unit. The middle one seems good, no? The last one is broken down into its simplest elements, but that form is really difficult to remember. There are too many parts that just don't seem to connect! When you read, it's best to break down  the whole text into parts and examine them closely without focusing on any one element without connecting it back to the whole reading.  

2. Summarize: It help if you create a short paragraph to sum up or restate the major points of the work you are reading. You can refer to this same summary paragraph later when it's time to write your response.  
  

3. Research: It sometimes helps to have the background information on the text you are reading. Often you won't have to  research very far to a better idea about the material you're reading.
  

• Survey the text: Who wrote it? Is there a title? Are there any subtitles? Any chapters? What's listed in the contents? When was this text published? What are the sources in the bibliography? These all tell you some very important things. If a text has a scientific title like Broca's Brain, you might expect that the text has something to do with anatomy or that it has something to do with critical thinking or perhaps it is a biography or portrait of someone named Broca. The subtitle Reflections on the Romance of Science gives you a much clearer indication of the book. The fact that it was published in the 1970's indicates the the scientific data is rather old and does not give a good indication of recent scientific developments and theories.

• Skim the text: Read the first line of every paragraph for shorter works like essays and short stories. For longer works, like novels, read the first paragraph of every unit. Like planning a hike, these will serve as markers on the trail and will not only prepare you for what's ahead, but will keep you from getting lost and overwhelmed.

4. Gather Clues:   

• Always read the Preface or Introduction:Often there will be a sentence or two about the author's purpose in writing the particular piece of work. Sometimes there may be a brief summary of the author's background. In books especially, the introduction always contains some useful clue about the overall contents.

•  Graphs, diagrams, or any illustrations are important clues that will supplement the meaning of the text.

  

5. Question:  Questions always arise in a reading:  
What is the author's purpose in writing this? What did the author mean by that sentence or phrase? Why did he/she express it in that way? How does this metaphor relate to the idea? Is this a verified fact or just the author's opinion?

Notice the notes in my 'margin' below:  

6. Note:    It's important to make notes while you read. You'll need to note the meaning of words you don't understand. You might want to jot down a few words in the margins of the text about the meaning a particular paragraph or sentence. Try underlining or highlighting key words and phrases.  
  

• Reading Entry: In your journal, create a page or two that helps you keep notes about the reading. Be sure to include:

• Publication Information: in (MLA, APA, or CBE) format.  Putting it into MLA format now will save time later when you have to write a response about the work.

• The Paragraph Summary:  Write a paragraph that summarizes the main idea or the major points of the text.  

• Topic Quote:    Sometimes  a quote can remind you of the whole tone and purpose of the reading. It can also be utilized in your written response.

  

"The view is emerging that we all share a common life raft in a cosmic ocean...a small place with limited resources..." (Sagan 205)

• Free write:    Try this pre-writing technique to bring all or your ideas and impressions about the work to the surface before you begin a formal written response. Now is also an excellent time to attempt to formulate an answer to any questions about the text that you noted in the margins.

6. Read and Re-read: It's very difficult to gather all the necessary details in just one reading, so several readings are necessary. .  

• First read: Read through the text to gather the major point of the text. Don't stop to make notes now. Just plow right through it to see what get the major chunk of the message or the general idea.

• Second read:  Now it's time to read closely. Now ask questions and make notations.

7. Interpret - Always read with a dictionary close by. If you don't understand the literal meaning of the author's words, the denotation,  then it will be exceptionally difficult to understand the author's meaning.  See the section in this unit on  using dictionaries.  

What's not said is just as important as what is directly. Dig, dig, dig into the material of the text to get at what's not exactly said. The author speaks to us readers in many ways. Aside from the literal meaning of the word, every word has a particular charge or a particular connotation. Connotation is what is implied or inferred from the word, not necessarily what the word means.  For example, the denotation of the word home means "a dwelling place" as does the word, house. However, home evokes a positive reaction in most people as opposed to the word, house. To most people, it means much more than simply a place of residence. 

8. Review:  Now that you've developed a clean summary, gathered your clues, questioned and made notations, it's a good idea to quickly review all the material you've gotten to impress it in your memory. Just like studying for an exam, you tend to remember the material that you've reviewed. This will definitely help you in  your next two steps...  
  
9. Integrate: Gather your analysis, summary, research and interpretation. Together, these will help you gain a complete understanding of the text.  

10. Evaluate: Assess the material that you've read. Make a judgement about the material: Was it good or bad? Why? Was it informative or non-informative? What was interesting? What was not?