Prepare for reading by finding a comfortable seat in a well-lit room. Sit at a table or desk. Get rid of distractions such as a computer or phone while you are studying. This allows you to receive greater subject-matter understanding as you improve your reading comprehension.
Preview the items to be read. Read the reading title and preface which tell you about information organization and about the author's objective. Read the table of contents to see the topics covered. Read the introduction thoroughly. Check section headings and any available summaries. Look at images and charts and ask yourself how they relate to the reading.
Skim through the entire reading to get a basic understanding of the topic being discussed. Think about what you are reading. Ask yourself questions to ensure that you understand the author's point of view.
Read the topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph. See how the remainder of the paragraph develops the topic. As part of the reading comprehension exercise, ask yourself about the relationship between the idea presented in the topic sentence and how it develops in rest of the paragraph. If you have difficulty, check the topic sentence again. Reread any sections that need clarification.
Circle unfamiliar terms. Figure out the meaning of unfamiliar terms by the context and usage. Look up new words in the dictionary and write a sentence about each.
Underline the reading's main ideas as you read. To avoid confusion, be careful not to cover the page with unnecessary underlines. Only emphasize the main ideas. Write down words related to the main ideas in the margin or on a piece of notebook paper so that you can review them later on.
Outline the main ideas. Write your own summary from the outline. Write practice questions based on the material discussed in the reading and see if you can answer them. Review the questions periodically.
Make an appointment with your professor to discuss questions you may have about readings, preferably before class. A graduate assistant can also help you with reading comprehension questions. Whenever possible, collaborate with another student in the class by forming a study group. You can also get help to improve reading comprehension from your campus learning center.