The Intensive Reading Technique is reading for a high degree of comprehension and retention over a long period of time. It is basically a study technique for organizing readings that will have to be understood and remembered. One may have good comprehension while reading line-by-line, but REMEMBERING is what counts. Intensive reading is not a careful, single reading, but is a method based on a variety of techniques like scanning, the surveying technique of planning your purpose, and others.
PRINCIPLES OF INTENSIVE READING
Overview, purpose, questions, reading, summarizing, testing, and understanding are the seven procedures that cover the method, for very effective reading for detailed comprehension and long retention.
- OVERVIEW: We have two methods to obtain an overview -- surveying or skimming. Both are concerned with reading only the important parts. We would start with the summary, if one exists. We would next read the headings. When headings are missing or inadequate, or where unfamiliar material demands a more complete overview, we would resort to skimming with its greater attention to topic and summary sentences, and other cues within the paragraphs. As you get an overview of a long section, you may only survey parts and skim the sections that are hard to understand. From this you should get the general theme and main ideas and the important topics and questions discussed, and the major conclusions. The principle to guide you is to spend the least amount of time and effort required to secure these elements.
- PLANNING PURPOSE: Planning your purpose means to take a few seconds before you begin your reading to formalize or clearly state to yourself what you wish to get from the reading. This will give us the most useful "mental set" for getting the information we need.
WE NEED TO KNOW: What information we need, how detailed the comprehension should be; and whether the emphasis should be placed on ideas. How long we need to retain this information, sequence, specific facts, etc.
- QUESTIONS: A good time to record questions is after you have overviewed and planned your purpose. The questions should be in the same sequence as they appear in the material, if possible. This does not prevent adding new questions, but it does prevent forgetting about an important question that occurs to you during the overview. Ideally, the headings can be converted into questions which will provide a suitable outline of the important information in the selection. When this is not the case, the basic interrogatives of who, what, when, why and how, frequently supply aid in suggesting important concepts in almost all reading selections. You have to respond to learn.
- READING: The most familiar technique and the heart of intensive reading is to read carefully and thoughtfully. Reading here means not only the familiar line-by-line reading, but reading that is guided by our purpose and questions. Also be sure and read the material you covered while obtaining an overview.
- SUMMARIZING: An important part of summarizing is organizing the ideas and supporting points. This organizing should begin in the reading but should be finalized and expressed in the notes. Generally, each paragraph will have one or two ideas. It is important to state in your own words the points you wish to remember. The most effective type of summarizing, which lends itself to both organizing and testing, is an outline of questions reflecting major ideas and concepts. The sub points are indented to show clearly they are related to the main point in a supporting role. By using questions as headings, the outline can be started before reading on the basis of the overview. It allows the answers to the questions to guide the reading, rather than be automatically summarized as a few brief points. A topic that does not lend itself to the question style can be included as a statement.
There are other techniques you may use. One is underlining. However, its faults tend to outweigh its value. If you must underline, restrict yourself to clear, concise definitions or statements. Another technique is marginal notes and questions. You may (with practice and discretion) elaborate, raise questions, and relate and organize certain important concepts or points in this manner.
- TESTING: The next step is testing yourself. It is vital that you recall rather just recognize the answers. This means that you test yourself with an essay or a fill-in-the-blank type of test. This simply means you must "produce" the answer; just as you often have to in class. This testing seems to "set" or "fix" the information more firmly in your mind so that you will retain it better. Re-reading and other forms of recognition do not produce as high a level of retention. This testing may occur after paragraphs, or after sections, or at the end of the selection. The rule to follow is to deal with closely related thoughts that are not too many for you to consider at one time.
What's Wrong?
This exercise focuses on intensive reading. Read one sentence at a time and find the inappropriate vocabulary mistake or contradiction. All errors are in the choice of vocabulary NOT in grammar.
1. Jack Forest is a baker who always provides his customers with tough meat. Last Tuesday, Mrs Brown came to the shop and asked for three filets of brown bread. Unfortunately, Jack only had two filets remaining. He excused Mrs Brown and promised her that he would have too much bread the next time she came. Mrs Brown, being a reliable customer, assured Jack that she would return. Later that day, Jack was sealing the shop when the phone sang. It was Mrs Brown requiring if Jack had baked another slice of brown bread. Jack said, "As a matter of truth, I burnt some extra loaves a few hours ago. Would you like me to bring one buy?". Mrs Brown said she would and so Jack got into his bike and road to Mrs Brown's to deliver the third pound of brown toast.
2. My favorite reptile is the Cheetah. It is truly an amazing creature which can trot at a top speed of 60 mph! I've always wanted to go to the cool planes of Africa to see the Cheetah in action. I imagine it would be a disappointing experience looking at those Cheetah run. A few weeks ago, I was watching a National Geographic special on the radio and my wife said, "Why don't we go to Africa next summer?" I hopped for joy! "That's a lousy idea!" I stated. Well, next week our plain leaves for Africa and I can hardly imagine that we are going to Africa at first.
3. Frank Sinatra was an infamous singer, known throughout the world. He was a novice at singing in the "crooning" style. During the 50s and 60s grunge music was very popular throughout clubs in the US. Las Vegas was one of Frank Sinatra's favorite squares to sing. He often traveled to Las Vegas from his hut in the woods to perform in the evening. Audiences inevitably booed as he sang encore after encore to the delight of international fans from around the county.