Critical Reading

There are many different methods that I find extremely helpful when reading. For one, I use the method of highlighting important ideas from the text. Usually, when I'm taking an exam and have a reading prompt to do, I would underline, as I read, what I think would be helpful at the end of the story. This is helpful because if I have to answer questions after the reading all the things I underlined would most likely help me answer those questions. I have used this method when I took the SAT and it helped me get a really good score in the reading sections.

Another method that I find useful is summarizing. Most people I know save this part for last but, I like to summarize after I read halfway through the context. I do this because it helps me get a better understanding of what I am reading. I don't like reading the whole story without stopping because it's confusing. Most of the time what I'm reading is something too confusing, or I never heard of it, so stopping halfway through and analyzing what I read gives me the chance to try to understand what the author is trying to say. I use this concept most when doing an exam because it gives me the upper hand in getting all the questions right.

Last but not least, the last method that I find helpful while reading is imagining that I am the author. For example, if the context that I'm reading is a short story I'm able to put myself where the author is. I'm able to be the author sort to say, and it helps me feel the author is feeling and think what the author is thinking. It's pretty obvious how this would help me say past an exam or help me better understand what I'm reading.

In conclusion, these are my three methods that I use when critical reading. These methods not only help me in English, but also in other subjects like Biology, Math, etc. It helps me break down anything I read so I can better understand it.