READING A TEXT BOOK

D. D. Millett, RN, BS

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON TO READING A TEXT BOOK?

The main reason for reading a text book is to learn, understand, and remember the subject matter which you just read. If it is assigned, it is important, and will most likely be on exam.

For nursing students, it goes a few steps further…most everything that you read in your text books MUST be retained and understood. This is due to your choice of becoming a nursing student; and then a wonderful and wise nurse and your future COMPLETLEY DEPENDS on it.

SO, HOW DO YOU RETAIN AND LEARN ALL THE OF INFORMATION IN YOUR TEXT BOOKS?

You must understand WHY you are required to read certain text books.

You must learn HOW to read in a specific and timely manner.

You must THINK outside of the box; WHAT is the best way to read?

You must learn WHERE are the several best places for you to read.

You must understand WHO you are and WHAT type of “reader” or “learner” you are.

KNOW WHAT YOUR READING ASSIGNMENTS ARE!

Make certain that you have ALL of the reading material: text books, magazine articles, et cetera.

At the beginning of the course, double-check for EXACTLY what ALL of the required reading is and that you have complete access to it. WARNING: If your reading assignment consists of library

material, these cannot be checked out and EVERY other student will be looking for it as well. Make certain that you read and/or obtain these items FIRST, weeks before the exam.

PREPARING TO READ Write down, on a separate paper, exactly what ALL of the

chapters or pages you must read. Be prepared with a notebook(s) (you can associate different

colors of notebooks for each individual class or subject). Have a glass of water or something to drink by you, and a

watch to make certain you take 5 – 10 minute study breaks. MAKE CERTAIN YOU HAVE YOUR TABER’S MEDICAL DICTIONARY, or

another type, WITH YOU WHEN STUDYING!

PREPARING TO READHave several different colored pens (i.e. using red ink

means you have written down a question in order to quiz yourself later, blue may be used for the bulk of your actual note taking, and black may used for adding in additional notes that you may have missed or for writing in explanations of issues for clarification). Several colors of highlighters (i.e. yellow for new or semi-

important things, pink for important things, and blue for probable exam questions). Keep your supplies in some sort of case for easy access.

PREPARING TO READLocate all of the chapters you must read. One way of

keeping track of the number of chapters and their length is to mark every chapter’s beginning and its’ end with a paper clip.

Use colored, or larger paper clips, so that you can visualize your progress as you are reading ~ providing you with a sense of accomplishment and reaching your set goal. Even more, you can differentiate the chapters by represented them with different colored paper clips…and they are easy to move, change, or remove once you have completed that section.

READING THE TEXT: WHERE TO BEGIN?

Once you have established the reading assignments and gotten your text books, note books, pens, highlighters, and paper clips, you are ready to read!

PREVIEW THE CHAPTER§Once you have the length of the chapter

separated from the rest of the text (AND this will assist you in assessing how long it will take you to read and comprehend in order to PLAN and ORGANIZE your time), review the chapter as a whole.

§Read the bold section headings, the chapter summary, the questions at the end of the chapter, and look at the diagrams and pictures.

READING THE TEXT

When reading the text, DO NOT HIGHLIGHT EVERYTHING!

Only highlight topics that seem to be important, are under a different, bold heading, or are in the summary.

Reread your chapter highlights and answer the questions at least once a day.

READING THE TEXT As you reread each chapter, you may want to start with a different color of highlighter. Then you can highlight over certain parts of what you highlighted the previous day; and if you find that you still do not understand the entire text completely, use the pink highlighter to highlight over the yellow. The reason for this is that you may now know certain parts of the section that you highlighted in yellow, and you may not need to review those sections again. Therefore, by using your pink highlighter this time, you only need to reread and review the parts the parts highlighted in pink the following day. Thus, saving you time the next time you reread!

READING THE TEXT If the information from the text seems important and/or it follows the subject matter that you are studying, write a form of a test question next to, in red ink for example. This way, when you review the chapter, you cannot only reread the text, but verbally or physically write down the answers to the questions you posed for yourself the first time you read it. Therefore you are reviewing and answering questions every single day! Write down ALL words that are unfamiliar to you in your separate notebook right then, and using your Taber’s medical dictionary, look up the meaning of the word and write it down.

VISUALIZE WHAT YOU ARE READING WHILE READING IT

While you are reading, VISUALIZE what you are reading and make it REAL. If it is about the cardiac system, actual picture the venous

blood in blue veins and the arterial blood in red arteries; picture them flowing where and how they are doing so within your body. Understand the purpose of their path and why the blood travel

to certain places first, and then return there later. COMPREHEND what you are reading the first time, then review it at least daily. Then you will be ready for the exam!

VISUALIZE