{"id":111829,"date":"2023-08-27T18:05:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-27T22:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=111829"},"modified":"2023-08-29T10:34:47","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T14:34:47","slug":"before-you-read","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/before-you-read\/","title":{"rendered":"To Read Nonfiction Faster, Do This Before You Read"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What should you do before you read a work of nonfiction? How can reading more content actually help you read faster?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The authors of 10 Days to Faster Reading<\/em> offer this surprising speed-reading strategy<\/a>: Familiarize yourself with the content before you begin. It might seem like you’re taking unnecessary extra time, but you’ll be able to read faster\u2014and with more comprehension\u2014when you take this step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s take a closer look at this reading strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Before You Read<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the authors, it\u2019s helpful to briefly familiarize yourself with the content of a nonfiction text before you start reading in earnest.<\/strong> (Shortform note: In How to Read a Book<\/em><\/a>, Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren describe inspectional reading, a similar process for previewing a text<\/a>. It\u2019s the second of their four reading levels, and its purpose is to understand the structure and the main points of a text. That way, you have the background knowledge and context you need to efficiently process the information before you read the body of the text in depth. They advise setting a target of 15 minutes to gain an overview of a 300-page book.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to assisting you with Strategy #1 (be selective about what you read), this strategy helps you meet the following three goals:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Getting a sense of the structure and topics covered.<\/strong> Almost all nonfiction writing follows an internal outline that offers a map of the topics covered. This strategy takes advantage of that framework to give you a clear overview of what you\u2019re about to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: The internal outline is also important in nonfiction texts because it helps readers understand the author\u2019s narrative thread throughout the piece.<\/a> If a text has a clear structure, readers can follow the main points and argument without getting lost in the details. A lack of a clear outline and the author going off on too many tangents can undermine the main point<\/a> of the piece.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) Improving your reading efficiency<\/a> by giving you context and direction for a text.<\/strong> When you don\u2019t familiarize yourself with a text beforehand, you don\u2019t know where it\u2019s going. Therefore, you may be unsure what you\u2019re supposed to get from it. This often makes it more difficult to concentrate and understand what you\u2019re reading. As you struggle to figure out what you\u2019re supposed to be learning, you read more slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Some research suggests that looking over a text before reading improves comprehension<\/a> as well as efficiency. Previewing allows you to connect the broad ideas you see in the text to any prior knowledge you have of the subject, aiding in your understanding of the ideas once you begin fully reading.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) Reviewing a text after reading it previously.<\/strong> (Shortform note: This could be particularly useful when studying or reviewing information in advance of a meeting or presentation.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To pre-familiarize yourself with the contents of your nonfiction reading material, the authors suggest identifying and reading certain elements of the text before working through its main body. We\u2019ll highlight two sets of elements here: 1) the title, introduction, headings, and conclusion, and 2) details about the author and the book\u2019s copyright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Title, Introduction, Headings, & Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to the authors, reading<\/strong> the title provides your first clue of what the text covers<\/strong>. Then, read the introduction (usually the first paragraph or paragraphs of the text). Once you know where the text is going, move on to the headings, which communicate the text\u2019s content and structure. Finally, read any concluding paragraphs at the end of the text\u2014these will often offer a synopsis of the main ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further Thoughts on the Roles of Titles, Introductions, Headings, and Conclusions<\/strong>

Title:<\/strong> In How to Read a Book<\/em><\/a>, Adler and Van Doren state that a title\u2019s usefulness for understanding what a book is about varies<\/a>. Some titles tell the reader exactly what to expect from a book (like Ibram X. Kendi\u2019s How to Be an Antiracist<\/em><\/a>). However, many modern titles are less explicit (like Malcolm Gladwell\u2019s Blink<\/em><\/a>).

Introduction:<\/strong> According to other reading experts, introductions are important because they often contain definitions of key terms<\/a> and other important context you need to understand the book\u2019s ideas. Without this knowledge, you might be lost as you read.

Headings:<\/strong> When you move on to the headings, consider using them to organize any notes<\/a> you take. Copy them down and write your notes for each section under the correct heading or subheading\u2014this will help you figure out what information goes with what point when you review the notes later.

Conclusion:<\/strong> Finally, in addition to being a summary of the author\u2019s main points, a conclusion typically offers important takeaways<\/a> from the text. This is where the author lets you know why their ideas should matter to you after you stop reading, how their ideas connect to larger issues, and how to apply their ideas to your life.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n