Active Reading Resource for Students

Whether you haven’t taken courses since high school, you took a few months off from pursuing higher education, or you have additional responsibilities in your home and work life, the academic workload at the college level may feel overwhelming at times. This can be especially true when it comes to the assigned readings.

In college, the expectation for reading is more than you would typically encounter in everyday life, or even since high school. It is not uncommon to be expected to read multiple chapters a week. The readings can also be more complex and academic in nature. However, there are tools which may be helpful in tackling these readings and making them more digestible.

• Highlight or make notes – While the majority of the readings at APUS are electronic, you can save the readings as PDFs or copy the text into a Word document. This can allow you to use the highlighting features, bold certain portions of the reading, or make comments in the margins. Doing so can help serve as a visual aid in remembering key points from the reading.
• Annotate – If you know you will be using the readings in future coursework, such as during a discussion or as part of an assignment, it may be helpful to create an annotation. An annotation is a short summary of the text and creation of the corresponding citation. While it may seem like more work upfront, it allows for you to reflect on the reading while it is still fresh in your mind and summarize the text in a way that is relevant to your own style of learning and writing. The citation will also be ready for use when it comes to using it in your coursework!

In addition to the tools mentioned above, there are also strategies which may help avoid burnout and ensure you are getting the most out of your reading time.

• Schedule in reading – If you are the type of person who is most alert in the morning, try to set aside some time for reading when you first start your day. On the other hand, if you are more of a night owl, carve out time in the evenings for your assigned reading. Not only does this help you to retain the information, but it also plans your reading into your daily schedule.
• Pace yourself – As with your other coursework, try to plan your readings throughout the week. At the start of the week, see how much reading is required. From there, divide the reading based off days that you can dedicate to your schoolwork. This will help to pace yourself as the week goes by, rather than being forced to cram in all your reading at the end of the week.
• Plan for your reading space – One of the benefits of taking online courses is the ability to complete your coursework anytime and anywhere. When planning your reading for the week, also plan for your environment. If you need complete silence, find a time or place that will be most conducive to your needs. If you learn best with music playing in the background, do so!

APUS also offers student-focused resources which may be helpful, including our librarians, academic advisors, and tutoring services.

If have questions regarding disability services accommodations (DSA), please contact the DSA Office at [email protected]. Information regarding the DSA process may also be found within the Student Handbook.