Active Reading Strategies for Textbook Success

Thomas Frank discusses active reading, a method to extract useful information from texts. He critiques complex systems like SQ3R and offers five practical tips: pseudo-skimming, reading backwards, questioning, focusing on text formatting, and note-taking. He demonstrates these strategies with three books: 'Thinking Fast and Slow', 'Confessions of a Scholarship Winner', and 'The Power of Habit'. The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to subscribe for more content.

What is the main goal of active reading?

• To read a book quickly

• To pull something useful out of it

• To enjoy the narrative

• To memorize every word

Why does Thomas Frank avoid systems like SQ3R and SQ4R?

• They are not effective

• They are outdated

• They are too simple

• They are too cumbersome and time-consuming

What is the pseudo-skimming technique?

• Skimming each paragraph quickly to identify important information

• Skipping entire chapters

• Reading only the first and last paragraphs

• Reading every word carefully

How can reading backwards help in understanding a textbook chapter?

• It helps in identifying the author's writing style

• It allows you to get an overview of the chapter's main points

• It makes the reading more interesting

• It helps in memorizing the content

What should you do when you come across something you don't understand while reading?

• Note it down as a question

• Ignore it and move on

• Ask someone else to explain it

• Skip the entire section

Why is it important to pay attention to the formatting of a text?

• It helps in identifying important processes and vocab terms

• It makes the text easier to memorize

• It makes the text look more appealing

• It helps in reading faster

What is one way to mark up a book if you don't own it?

• Use flags or highlight depending on school policies

• Write in it with a pen

• Tear out important pages

• Fold the corners of important pages

How did Thomas Frank mark up 'Thinking Fast and Slow'?

• He used a pencil to write in the margins

• He did not mark it up at all

• He used flags to mark important pages

• He highlighted important sections

What method did Thomas Frank use for 'Confessions of a Scholarship Winner'?

• He used flags

• He took notes in Evernote

• He bracketed paragraphs and wrote notes in the margins

• He did not mark it up at all

What is Thomas Frank's current method for taking notes on 'The Power of Habit'?

• He highlights important sections

• He uses flags

• He writes notes in the margins

• He takes notes in Evernote after reading each chapter