Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success : A Self-management Approach

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LEARNING FROM TEXTBOOKS 213

my new reading comprehension plan was working? What

changes, if any, did I make along the way?

Strategic-outcome monitoring. Did I attain the goal(s) I set

for myself? Have the modifications in my reading compre-

hension strategies improved my academic performance?

What strategies were the most and least effective? What

changes, if any, do I need to make in the future?

2. Assess Reading Behavior

The self-management model at the beginning of the chapter indicates

that the use of motivational strategies (i.e., goal setting and mood and

effort) and behavioral strategies (i.e., time management and physical and

social environmental control) influence learning and study strategies.

Explain how motivation and behavioral strategies impact your reading

behavior. In addition, explain what steps you could take to deal with

your reading concerns.

3. Analyze Use of Reading Strategies

In the beginning of this chapter, you learned about the strategies that

good readers use: determining importance, summarizing information,

drawing inferences, generating questions, and monitoring compre-

hension. Select a chapter in a textbook in another course and explain

how you used these strategies in comprehending the material. If you

did not use one or more of the strategies, explain the reason for your

decision.

4. Improve Reading Comprehension and Retention

Directions: The following passages are taken from college textbooks

in different academic areas. Only the first two passages have headings.

Read each passage and (a) generate a question; (b) underline relevant

parts of the passage that answer the question; (c) identify the type of

representation you could use to comprehend the material, including

the topics and repeatable categories; and (d) circle the signal words

in the passage. You will not be able to complete the representation,

because the paragraphs do not include all the details you would need.

Passage 1: Types of Organisms

Although there is a great diversity of marine life, it is com-

monly separated into only three major categories: plankton,

nekton, and benthos. These subdivisions are based solely on

the general habit of the organisms and have nothing to do