How to Make Your Readings Stick
Tired of constantly having to reread your textbooks? Learn how to spend a few extra minutes engaging with them to understand the content and avoid reading the same sections over and over.
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âś… Take Action
Pick one assigned reading you’ve been putting off and follow our three-step process to engage with the reading.
You’ll be amazed at how much more you retain—and how much time you save later.
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Prefer to Read?
Here’s how to better engage with the readings:
Step 1: Read Thoroughly — in Chunks
Most students try to read as fast as possible. But that “plow through” mindset is what leads to low comprehension and constant rereading.
Instead, slow down and read just one or two paragraphs at a time. After each chunk, pause. Make sure you’ve fully engaged with what you just read:
Look up words you don’t know
Work out any example problems
Study visuals or charts carefully
Highlight important points
This is deep reading — and it’s worth the extra time up front.
Step 2: Put It in Your Own Words
After each chunk, you’ll write a one-sentence summary in your reading notes. This forces your brain to do something crucial: process and repackage the information in your own language.
Not sure what to include? Try summarizing:
The main idea
Any key terms
Any important examples
Use a separate line for each summary, and group them under the relevant heading or subheading from the reading.
Step 3: Connect the Dots
Once you’ve built up a few summaries, it’s time to compare them.
How do these ideas relate to one another?
Are there themes starting to emerge?
Does each new chunk build on the last?
By linking the new content to what you’ve already read, you’re helping your brain build a mental map of the material — which makes it easier to remember later.
Try This Hack
When it’s time to review for a test or write a paper, your reading summaries can double as a custom study guide.
You can even plug them into ChatGPT, Gemini or another AI tool and say something like:
“Turn my reading notes into a study guide with questions and answers to help me prep for my history exam.”
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