{"id":560,"date":"2012-10-12T15:11:06","date_gmt":"2012-10-12T15:11:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/transfer.writingcommons.org\/2012\/10\/12\/active-reading\/"},"modified":"2024-04-30T13:21:36","modified_gmt":"2024-04-30T12:21:36","slug":"active-reading","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/writingcommons.org\/article\/active-reading\/","title":{"rendered":"Active Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mapping the Territory<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reading is an activity integral to the writing process. You may not associate reading with the difficult task of writing a college essay. After all, it seems like a passive activity, something you might do at a caf\u00e9 or sitting in an easy chair. But while you can read solely for entertainment, soaking in the plot of a good novel or familiarizing yourself with the latest celebrity gossip, reading also drives the act of writing itself, from the earliest stages onward. Reading can\u2014and will\u2014make you a better writer.<\/p>\n

But first, you have to learn how to read in a whole new way, because college-level work requires you to read actively, a skill much different from the kind of reading you have practiced since elementary school. Active reading implies not only attention paid to the text, but also consideration and response. An active reader explores what she reads; she approaches the text as though she has entered an unknown territory with the intention of drawing a map. Indeed, the difference between passive reading and active reading is like the difference between watching a nature documentary and hiking through the wilderness. The film, although entertaining, doesn\u2019t require much exertion from the viewer. By contrast, the hiker has to navigate the trail: she must look out for hazards, read trail signs, and make informed decisions, if she hopes to make it back home.<\/p>\n

Before you can write a successful essay, you must first understand the territory you\u2019re about to explore. Luckily, other writers have already scouted the area and logged reports on the terrain. These missives\u2014the articles and books your professors will ask you to read\u2014sketch their findings. But understanding these documents can be a daunting task, unless you know how to interpret them. The following sections detail the most essential strategies for active reading.<\/p>\n

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