Create the right environment. In order to comprehend what you read, you must become an active reader; and, according to Donna Dunbar-Odom, author of "Working with Ideas: Reading, Writing, and Researching Experience" (2001), the first step in becoming an active reader is to prepare yourself for reading. Therefore, find a comfortable place to read, but sit upright so you will stay alert. If you play music, choose something that will not interfere with your concentration.
Examine the title of the work. Regarding the title, as Dunbar-Odom says, "Short though it may be, it contains key information" (p. 4). William H. Barnwell and Robert Dees, authors of "The Resourceful Writer" (1999), echo this sentiment when they say that you can often find the main idea contained in a work just by reading its title.
Read the introduction. Not all works contain introductions, but many do, especially chapters in textbooks. The introduction is there for a purpose; it provides readers with context to help them better understand the material contained in the chapter. Moreover, the introduction usually includes the main points that will be addressed in the chapter, so if you make note of these points, you will have a good idea of everything the chapter contains before you even begin to read it.
Skim the material. According to Barnwell and Dees (1999), when you skim over the material, you should not read every word. Instead, you should read the subheadings (they provide an overview of material), the first and last sentences of enough paragraphs to provide an understanding of the writer's main idea and the last one or two paragraphs in their entirety. Make note of unfamiliar words.
Highlight significant ideas. If you highlight significant ideas, you can then go back over the material, concentrating only upon these ideas, which will not only help you retain the information but also summarize the main ideas contained in the material. After all, according to Barnwell and Dees, "The ability to give a concise, accurate account of a writer's thoughts is one of the most valuable skills you can acquire" (1999, p. 201). Moreover, if you can provide an accurate account of what you have read, you are far more likely to retain it.