Essential Tools for Tackling Tough Reading Material

It’s back-to-school time, and that means students across the globe are back to hitting the books — facing new subjects with reading materials that could be complex, challenging, or even dreadfully dull. In fact, most of us encounter — at some point or another — required reading that is hard to get through, yet we must get through it. 

Tackling tough reading is a challenge for anyone. When was the last time you noticed your eyes reading the same page again and again, while your mind got nothing out of it? Or perhaps you thought you were going along fine, until you suddenly realized you had it all wrong? Or you got so frustrated with a complex textbook that you wanted to throw it out the window?

There are various reasons we find things difficult to read: 

Finding something hard to read definitely doesn’t mean you’re dumb. Intellectual and academic books can be difficult even for the best students. Although there is no way to make hard reading easy, there are several straight-forward approaches that will help you understand difficult text much faster than reading it over and over until your head hurts. 

6 Tools for tackling tough reading

Consider Aristotle’s principle “Well begun is half done.” This suggests that we can save time and effort with some thoughtful preparation. In the case of difficult reading material, this means previewing the text, and priming yourself for understanding it. 

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Before you begin reading, preview the text to get an idea what you will be covering, and how it fits into the bigger picture. Look at the table of contents, introductory passages, headings and key words; and jot down questions that come to mind — especially those related to the purpose of this reading. 

Prime yourself for understanding with a background. Educational research has found that connecting new information with existing knowledge enhances learning and memory, so do a little research to get familiar with your subject before you begin. An online search of the topic, author, or book summary can set the stage for efficient absorption of the text. 

For academic reading, annotation is the key to improving comprehension and retention. Taking notes as you read doesn’t necessarily mean putting everything into a notebook. If the text is expendable, it is much more efficient to mark it up. Highlight, circle, underline, and write in the margins. Out of respect for a book, however, you may choose to use sticky notes and tabs as an alternative.

Annotate with a purpose — make sure you understand why you are reading the material and what you are expected to get out of it. Then, develop a system of symbols and color-coding to streamline your notetaking and review. Jot down important bits of information and key concepts, along with your personal connections, questions, and reactions. Being aware of your own thought process is called metacognition, and it is essential for effective learning.

Learn to paraphrase: Extract relevant information from each section and put it into your own words. Paraphrasing as you go ensures that you understand what you have read. A paraphrase is different from a summary, but both are important. 

A summary captures the core ideas and key information of your text in concise words, expressing the main message without the details and explanations. You can write the summary for yourself or share it with others. Either way, your ability to generate an effective summary demonstrates competence in the subject. 

One of the most frustrating things about reading difficult texts is that it takes more time. There is no getting around that, so factor it in. 

Give yourself extra time to read slowly and carefully. This allows your brain to make connections and process the information. Resist the temptation to plough through a section without understanding it. Instead, re-read difficult passages or go back to find what you are missing. 

In some cases, of course, grasping the gist of a passage is sufficient. To determine whether this is true, consider how it relates to the purpose of your assignment. 

Allow yourself to progress at your own pace. For complex or dull reading, break it into smaller study sessions. Tools like the Pomodoro timer can help you maintain focus without fatigue. 

Finally, make sure your study environment is conducive to clear thinking. Removing clutter and distractions will help you focus on challenging text, making it that much easier to tackle.