Read the following information to learn additional tips for reading and learning from different kinds of textbooks.

Composition Textbooks

Textbooks designed to teach you writing and organizational skills contain declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge. They also include many examples demonstrating the skills presented in the chapters. 

Use the following tips to read and study from composition textbooks:

• Study the examples carefully; explain to yourself the different parts shown in the examples.
• Learn the terminology.  As you study terminology, include examples.
• Learn the writing steps presented by the author and explained through examples
• Plan to revise drafts several times before completing the final product.
• Learn to analyze your work, sentence by sentence and paragraph by paragraph. This requires careful proofreading and application of writing elements or structures presented in the course.

Literature Textbooks

Literature, which includes short stories, essays, plays, poetry, and novels, involves imaginative, figurative language used to communicate and share an emotional experience. For the full emotional impact of the writing, begin by reading through the complete selection to get an overview; do not stop to analyze or take notes.  Let yourself get immersed in the content and the flow of the action.  For novels, your overview reading could involve reading one chapter at a time. After your first uninterrupted reading, read the material a second time. 

Use the following tips to read and study from literature textbooks.

• Figurative language presents ideas through symbolism, multiple meanings, metaphors, and similes. Look for figurative language and special images created through word usage.
• Examine ways the author unfolds events, develops characters, and weaves significant details into the plot or storyline.
• Identify the most important details or parts of the writing; determine how they blend into the whole picture to create a theme, purpose, or specific point.
• Create a visual image or a movie in your mind of the setting, characters, action, and plot.
• Critique the writing; form an opinion that you can support with specific examples or details.

History Textbooks

History textbooks portray an event or series of events that occurred in the past.  A narrative, story-telling approach explains the unfolding of events influenced by specific individuals, groups, governments, and cultural factors, such as economics, religion, art, and social structures. 

Use the following tips to read and study from history textbooks.

• Create timelines to show the unfolding of events.  As you work your way through the chapters, expand the timelines to show events that occurred at the same time.
• As you study your timelines, look for patterns and trends, cause and effect relationships among the events, and major shifts in political, social, and cultural directions.
• Create a visual image or a movie in your mind of the people and events in a specific time period.
• Memorize specific facts, including names, dates, specific treaties, specific wars, and definitions.
• Consider reading other accounts of specific periods in history to get alternative perspectives on the development and significance of historical events.

Math Textbooks

Math textbooks include factual information (declarative knowledge) and theorems, formulas for equations, and problem-solving steps (procedural knowledge).  You can use elaborative rehearsal techniques to memorize declarative knowledge; procedural knowledge requires repetition of problem-solving steps and application of theorems and formulas. Mathematics is based on sequential learning; you need to understand specific terminology, equations, formulas, and theorems before moving to the next higher level where an assumption is made that you know the previous skills.

Use the following tips to read and study from math textbooks.

• Look for a common pattern used in many math textbooks to develop concepts: First, the concept is defined using words.  Second, the definition is presented as an equation described through words. Third, the concept is expressed in symbol or algebraic notation.  Fourth, applications of the concept are shown through examples.
• Learn the language of symbols so you can read mathematical equations and express information in mathematical terms.  Create an ongoing list of algebraic expressions and their English words; study this list frequently.
• Memorize formulas, terminology, and steps.  Practice reciting and writing these key elements.
• Carefully and thoroughly study the examples of equations and steps to solve problems. Practice explaining to yourself each part of the math equation and steps; understand the logic behind the processes.
• Without referring to the original answers, rework problems from class lectures and the textbooks several times.  Repetition is essential.  Always compare your steps and problem solution to the original problem.
• Focus on the individual parts of a problem: what is given, what you need to find, and what steps you need to use to solve the problem. 
• Make charts, tables, diagrams, or pictures to help solve problems.  Expressing information visually and in a new form helps you see what you need to find out. 

One example follows.

"Mark is three times as old as his nephew Kyle was three years ago.  Mark is 30 years old.  How old is Kyle?"  (Thinking process: There are two time periods involved: now and three years ago.  I'll show what is known for each person during those two time periods.)

	Time Now	Time Three Years Ago
Mark	30 years old	27 years old
Kyle	?	10 years old

(Thinking process: Mark is 27 years + 3 years, so Kyle is 10 years + 3 years old.)

To solve the problem, think about a similar problem you have solved and the problem-solving steps you used for the same type of problem (distance-rate-time, area or volume, interest rates, rounding numbers, etc.). Apply the same steps to the new problem.

Science Textbooks

Science courses include subjects such as biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, environmental science, and physics.  Science textbooks often use inductive arguments; they present observable experiments, evidence, or proof to arrive at a conclusion.  Understanding information in science textbooks often involves hands-on, personal laboratory demonstrations, experiments, or observations. Emphasis is on understanding how parts relate to the whole concept or framework.  Similar to mathematics, science textbooks contain both declarative and procedural knowledge. 

Use the following tips to read and study from science textbooks.

• Use overview reading to become familiar with a new section of information.  Then use thorough reading to grasp the specific details that form the whole concept.
• Carefully read and examine examples because they usually relate to concrete information that helps you understand the principles or theories.
• Memorize course-specific terminology and be able to explain or define terms in your own words.
• Create mental images of the material so you can use the mental images later as memory cues.
• Explain the information, the process, or the reasoning to yourself.  Check your accuracy.
• Study diagrams and charts carefully.  Copy them to reinforce the information.
• Create your own diagrams to show ideas more clearly.  Label the individual parts of the diagram.
• Associate the information to larger concepts and schemas in your long-term memory.  Look for cause-effect relationships.

Social Science Textbooks

Social science courses include subjects such as anthropology, business, counseling, criminal justice, economics, education, ethnic studies, finance, history, law, marketing, philosophy, political science, psychology, public administration, sociology, and womens studies. Many social science textbooks include topics that are somewhat familiar to the reader because of personal experiences. Reading and studying from social science textbooks involves moving beyond personal experiences and into an academic look at theories, concepts, and trends based on data and research. 

Use the following tips to read and study from social science textbooks.

• Memorize the course-specific terminology and examples for each term.  Be able to explain terms and give examples for each term using your own words.
• Look for major concepts, patterns, or trends.  Look for cause-effect relationships, specific details that support or form a concept, relationships among different groups or categories of information, and specific data or evidence used to support a position taken by the author.
• Pay attention to visual materials. Examine and interpret all charts, diagrams, pictures, or photographs. Be able to convert the visual materials into full explanations.
• Create your own visual materials to convert printed words into pictures.
• Visualize the information or an example that represents a concept or term you are studying.
• Personalize the information by attaching a personal experience or a possible application of the information to an event, situation, or person in your life.
• After you read the chapter, use the headings and subheadings to outline the chapter. (See Chapter 9)  A chapter outline helps you see the relationship of major topics.