Possibly. But if you just don’t get it, maybe it’s because the authorjust
doesn’t know how to explainit. Maybe it’s not your fault! Too many
students have sweated, moaned, dropped classes, even changed
majors because they thought they were dumb, when it’s possible it’s
the darned textbook that’s dense, not you. So instead of continuing
to slog though the mire, find an expert who can actually write—
they’re out there—and learn what you need to. If the other text finally
helps you understand the subject, you’ll find the original textbook
much easier to fathom...presuming you need it at all.
Use the Clues in Each Chapter
Begin with a very quick overview of the assignment, looking for ques-
tions that you’d like answered. Consider the following elements of
your reading assignment beforeyou begin your reading:
Chapter titles and boldfaced subheads announce the detail about the
main topic. And, in some textbooks, paragraph headings or boldfaced
“lead-ins” announce that the author is about to provide finer details.
So start each reading assignment by going through the chapter, begin-
ning to end, readingonly the boldfaced heads and subheads.
Look for end-of-chapter summaries. Knowing what the author is
driving at will help you look for the important building blocks for his
conclusions while you’re reading.
Most textbooks, particularly those in the sciences, will have charts,
graphs, numerical tables, maps, and other illustrations. Be sure to
observe how they supplement the text and what points they empha-
size, and make note of these.
In some textbooks, you’ll discover that key terms and information are
highlighted within the body text. To find the definitions of these terms
may then be your purpose for reading.
Chapter 3 ■How to Read and Remember 49