Reading Skills Handouts

Reading basics 

Before you dive into that textbook, article, or novel, take a moment to orient yourself to your reading task with three important pre-reading tasks: determining your purpose, previewing, and pace setting.

Using graphic organizers 

If you’re a visual learner, this handout will give you a variety of visual models that you can use to organize your learning material.

Reading links

Follow these links for resources on reading more effectively and efficiently. Each of these sites offers learning resources appropriate for college-level learners. Please note that neither SPU nor the Center for Learning is responsible for content on the following pages.

• Understanding the big picture of what you read
  BCDE: A mnemonic device to help you get the overall ideas in what you read.
• Understanding the details of what you read
  5Ws & 1H: A mnemonic device to help you understand the details of what you read.
• “PRR: Preview, Read, Recall”
  An at-a-glance matrix PDF document for remembering these three keys to effective reading comprehension.
• Understanding what you read
  PASTE: A mnemonic to help you understand what you read by using aids.
• Help with reading a computer screen
  RUD-PC: A mnemonic for helping you read from the computer screen.
• Improve your reading speed
  WARF: A mnemonic to help improve your reading speed.
• Reading environment
  Environment can make a big difference in your ability to focus and may make reading more difficult than it needs to be. Consider these factors that affect your environment.