Unit 2 Language and Intelligence
Section I
Focus on Previewing
It is common for students to dive into an academic text and begin reading in a hurry, which is often counterproductive. When reading for academic purposes, it is preferable to read with certain goals in mind. This will enable you to place your focus on the proper elements of the reading and to avoid wasting time on elements which aren't important for your purposes. Your professors and teaching assistants may read with their research goals in mind. As a student, your primary purposes in reading are shaped by the course you're taking and/or the papers you're writing. Spend a few minutes previewing a text before starting to read, in order to orient yourself toward what is important for you in this reading. Here is a basic method which can be applied to many texts. Not every question will be relevant for all texts, and you may find additional questions to ask yourself.
How to preview a nonfiction book
1. Examine the outside—front and back. (Study title, illustrations; read the "blurbs" or comments on the jacket or cover; study the messages on the end flaps, if any.)
2. Note the author's name; read any biographical information about the author.
3. Check the publisher's name and the copyright date. (Dates are of utmost importance in many areas of study. The book, if unrevised, could be very outdated. Study the publishing history—number of printings, dates of reprints, revisions, etc. This information normally is found on the back of the title page.)
4. Read the front matter—Introduction, Preface, Foreword, etc. (A quick check of this information will give you a good indication of what the writer sets out to do in the book.)
5. Carefully look over the Table of Contents. (This is the skeletal outline for the entire book. It will indicate the writer's approach and general treatment of the subject and the number of chapters and their approximate length and structure. It will also list back matter—Indexes, Bibliographies, Glossaries, etc.)
6. Thumb through the book. (Stop briefly to note layout and typography. Note any graphics—photographic inclusions, maps, diagrams, cartoons, foldouts, etc.)
7. If there is an overall Summary or Conclusion, read it carefully.
8. Peruse Indexes, Bibliographies, or Glossaries if any are included.
9. From the preview, evaluate the book's value for your purpose. (If it lacks what you need or want, select another title and repeat this preview process.)
How to preview a book of fiction
Since one of the major motivations for reading fiction is to discover the outcome of a story, previewing a book of fiction normally should not include an attempt to find out in advance how it ends. However, a preview should include finding out as much about the book and its author as possible before you begin to read. Study all information printed on the outside; find out what you can about the author; check the publisher and the copyright date; read any front matter; look over the Table of Contents; thumb through the book, note typography and illustrations; check the back matter (if any); then, determine whether you wish to read it (if it is not required reading) or select another title.
How to preview a chapter
Most reading tasks necessary to succeed in work, school, or college involve the study and reading of portions—chapters, sections, parts—of books and other publications. The procedure for previewing parts of longer reading matter is essentially the same as previewing entire books, with a few variations.
1. Study the title. (In nonfiction it usually states with one or very few words what is to be covered in the chapter.)
2. Question the title:
a. What do I already know about this subject?
b. Will this be mainly review, or will it contain a lot of new or unfamiliar information?
c. What are the logical points to look for as I read?
d. What will be the writer's attitude and approach?
e. Does the title seem to suggest his final conclusions?
(This questioning technique helps to get your thoughts subject-oriented. It, in effect, prepares the mental "soil" for the "seeds" the writer has already for planting in your "field" of knowledge.)
3. Note the number of pages assigned. (Make it a practice always to know the approximate length of whatever you are going to read. You will be able to budget reading and study time better.)
4. Read the first paragraph or so. (These usually introduce the chapter's content.)
5. Read the last paragraph or so. (If there is no formal summary, these can be most helpful in determining the conclusions the author has reached.)
6. If there is a summary or conclusion, read it carefully. (It will clue you in on the major points to look for when you actually read the text.)
7. Look over any study questions, tests, or problems at the end. (They will aid in guiding your study of the chapter.)
8. Page through the entire chapter. (Stop briefly to check all subheadings and any graphics.)
9. Take a few moments to reflect upon what you have learned already (you may be surprised), and what in addition you expect to gain from a careful reading of the chapter.
10. You are now ready to read and study with a purpose. Consider yourself better prepared to understand what you read.
Again, this may seem like a lot of effort to expend before actual reading, but rest assured the rewards in comprehension will prove to be worth much more than the few minutes required for an adequate preview of a chapter.
How to preview reports
Your desk or work area may be piled high with reports that you would like to get out of the way quickly. If you utilize a method of previewing (prereading) them similar to that already outlined, you will be able to expedite them much faster and easier. Of course, modifications may be necessary for certain exceptional reports, but generally you should practice the following steps:
1. Check the title. (What is the report about?)
2. Note the writer/preparer/compiler, his company, department, etc. (Who put it together? Where is it from?)
3. Check the date—preparation, delivery.
4. Note carefully for whom it was prepared, or sent—person, company, department, etc.
5. Read and understand the purposes and reasons for its preparation and dispatch. (What is it supposed to show or prove?)
6. Study its Table of Contents, or equivalent. (What is covered in the total report?)
7. Read the Abstract or Summary carefully. (What are the final conclusions and proposals, if any?)
8. Peruse all front and back matter. (What are the sources for information contained in the report, etc.?)
9. Thumb through for subheadings, organization, typography. (Study all graphs, charts, etc.)
10. Read in depth as necessary.
How to preview letters (and memos)
You may be required to read many more letters (and memos) each year than you would care either to enumerate or remember. In many cases, you may find that prereading may suffice for a number of the more routine letters and other such communications that you may be inclined to labor over. Preview letters (and memos) with the following three steps in mind—and in the suggested order.
1. Check the top. (Letterhead, date, salutation.)
2. Check the bottom. (Writer's name and title.)
3. Check the middle for the main idea(s). (In most letters and memos, you will find the "meat" in or near the visual center. The first paragraph or so are generally routine introductory comments and polite remarks. The last paragraph or so, more likely than not, contain formalities.)
How to preview magazine articles
In a rapidly changing world, magazines and other periodicals provide a convenient vehicle for informing us of what is happening in research and development. Consequently, the well-read, motivated individual may need to read several publications on a regular basis. Time-saving help is available to anyone who heeds the following simple steps:
1. Read the article's title and any subheadings. (You will get the overall idea of the subject and its treatment.)
2. Note the writer's name; read any biographical notes about him.
3. Carefully examine all graphics—photographs, tables, charts, illustrations, etc.
4. Read the first few paragraphs for the theme, etc.
5. Next, read the first, or topic sentence of all succeeding paragraphs.
6. Near the end of the article, start reading more carefully when you sense the writer is giving his conclusions, or a summary.
(Adapted from Triple Your Reading Speed, edited by Wade E. Cutler)