Why do professors tell you to read before class when they spend class time lecturing about what you’re supposed to read? And why might you need to read after some class periods? It turns out that reading before class or after class makes a difference on your academic success— read on to find out why.

HOW TO APPROACH CLASS READINGS

KNOW THE PURPOSE. Why did the professor assign this specific reading? Are you adding to your knowledge base? Taking a deep dive into a topic? Experiencing a range of opinions on a contested idea? Is there some other reason? Knowing why you’re reading helps you understand how to approach a text. 

Once you have a handle on the purpose, read strategically. The suggestions below may initially seem like they’ll take more time, but because they help you avoid the read, re-read, and re-read some more approach, they will actually save you time. 

STEM READING STRATEGY. For most STEM reading, as well as a lot of social science reading, the “STREAM” approach will help you get the most out of texts. Survey or skim the entire text, paying attention to headings, highlighted information, and bolded words. Think of 2 or more questions that you expect the reading to answer. Read the first paragraph. Explain that first paragraph to yourself in your own words. Annotate the text, adding a summary of the paragraph (and any questions you have). Move on, reading the next paragraph and repeating the read-annotate sequence until you’re done with the text.

ARTS & HUMANITIES READING STRATEGIES. Approach these texts differently from STEM class texts.  For non-fiction, read the abstract or introduction first, identify the main argument and evidence that will support that claim, and make note of those items. Identify connections between this and other texts you’ve read for class, such as does this text oppose previous claims, support what you’ve already read, or add complexities to earlier readings?  If you’re reading theory or philosophy, these are often “lenses” through which you can see events or ideas in different ways, so think about how they help you have a new perspective. Make note of questions you have — and yes, your professors expect you to have lots of questions.

If you’re reading fiction, who created it, under what conditions, and what were the prevailing ideas/historical occurrences when it was written? To what genre does it belong, and what do you know about that genre? Which characters seem to express or embody “big ideas,” and what are those ideas?  If the professor provides focus passages, think about why those passages could be important, and come to class with some ideas about their impact. If your prof doesn’t, select some passages that you think express ideas that are key themes of the text.

WHEN SHOULD YOU READ FOR CLASS?

READ BEFORE CLASS. Pre-lecture preparedness is related to better exam grades, research shows. What does that mean? Students who read what’s assigned before a professor lectures on the topic understand the lecture better and more deeply. Those students are more able to retain and build on their knowledge and therefore performed better on exams.

READ AFTER CLASS. Reading after class lets you clarify confusing points from that day’s lecture material while it’s still fresh in your mind. Reading after class also helps you answer specific questions (including any that your professor raised in class) and lets you synthesize your lecture notesknowing what your professor emphasized. Further, post-class reading allows you to challenge yourself with practice questions in your textbook and rewrite concepts in your words to solidify your knowledge base, thus helping to make learning “stick.”

WHICH IS BEST? There is no universal answer to whether pre-reading or post-reading is best — this depends not just on the class material, but also on how your professor arranges their course. If your course syllabus or your professor indicates that you should read before or after class, follow that instruction. If you don’t see any advice, ask your professor which is best. 

FURTHER RESOURCES 

McGuire, Saundra Yancy and Stephanie McGuire. Teach Yourself to Learn: Strategies You Can Use to Ace Any Course at Any Level. Routledge, 2018.

“STREAM” Reading,” Point Loma Nazarene Library Guide on Metacognition: Effective Reading, Learning, & Studying.

Sutherland, John. How to Read a Novel: A User’s Guide. St. Martin’s Press, 2006.

UC Berkeley, “Critical Reading in the Humanities.”

University of Rochester’s Learning Center. “Mastering Your Classes: The Art of Pre-Reading and Post-Reading.”

FACULTY FAUCET

Consider providing material that will show students how and why they’re reading an assigned text. Particularly in introductory classes, focus passages and reading guides can help reinforce the reading habits you want students to cultivate. Further, in line with the upper part of this poster, help your students understand why they should read before class or after class in your course.

  • Focus passages. Providing a few passages that encapsulate key ideas of a text can help frame students’ thinking about a reading. Further, doing so can help indicate main ideas that then guide students’ reading of supporting points.  
  • Reading guides. These can take many forms, including discussion questions, communal lists of new vocabulary, and/or instructions from you about how to approach each text. For your own copy of the CTL’s activity on “Developing Reading Assignments,” click this link (note: Google will prompt you to make your own copy of this document).

For more ideas, also see DePaul University’s “Building on Course Readings.”