MAKING THE MOST MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TEXTBOOKOF YOUR TEXTBOOK

Making the Most of Your Making the Most of Your TextbookTextbook

Did you know that your Did you know that your textbook had built-in textbook had built-in aids to help make aids to help make learning easier? learning easier?

Textbooks are organized Textbooks are organized to help you learn from to help you learn from them. them.

You can look at the You can look at the following parts of your following parts of your textbook to make your textbook to make your study more effective. study more effective.

Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Scan the Scan the table of contentstable of contents, which is a list of the , which is a list of the chapters in a book and the pages they start on.chapters in a book and the pages they start on.

By looking at the table of contents, you can see the By looking at the table of contents, you can see the

topics and areas covered in the book. topics and areas covered in the book.

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Look for the Look for the learning objectiveslearning objectives of the chapter. of the chapter.

These are usually the main points of the chapter and These are usually the main points of the chapter and may be listed at the beginning or end of the chapter. may be listed at the beginning or end of the chapter.

Section HeadingsSection Headings

Check for Check for section section headings headings throughout throughout the textthe text. .

These headings help These headings help you as the reader you as the reader understand the book's understand the book's structure and divide the structure and divide the chapter into learning chapter into learning units.   units.   

VocabularyVocabulary

Notice new Notice new vocabulary vocabulary in the chapter and make in the chapter and make a list of unfamiliar a list of unfamiliar terms. terms.

Oftentimes important Oftentimes important vocabulary may be vocabulary may be italicizeditalicized or or in boldin bold in in the text. Many books the text. Many books contain a glossary of contain a glossary of important words.important words.

GlossaryGlossary

Look in the back of Look in the back of your textbook for the your textbook for the glossaryglossary,, a small a small dictionary of important dictionary of important words. words.

Some of these words Some of these words may be difficult or may be difficult or specialized, so their specialized, so their definitions are included definitions are included in the glossary.in the glossary.

Topic SentenceTopic Sentence

Notice the first sentence, called the Notice the first sentence, called the topic sentencetopic sentence, in , in each paragraph.each paragraph.

The topic sentence gives the main idea of the paragraph. The topic sentence gives the main idea of the paragraph.

Pictures, Maps, and IllustrationsPictures, Maps, and Illustrations

Examine the Examine the pictures pictures and illustrationsand illustrations in the in the chapter.chapter.

By reading the captions By reading the captions and labels you will and labels you will discover important discover important information you may information you may need to know. need to know.

Graphs, Tables Graphs, Tables and Figuresand Figures

Look at the Look at the graphs, graphs, tables, and figurestables, and figures and and make sure you make sure you understand them. understand them.

Surprisingly, these Surprisingly, these images usually contain images usually contain much more information much more information than straight text.than straight text.

Special Typeface or FormattingSpecial Typeface or Formatting

Watch for Watch for special typeface or formatting.special typeface or formatting.

Boldface, italics, underlined, numbered items, and Boldface, italics, underlined, numbered items, and lists lists usually indicate important information.usually indicate important information.

Conclusion or SummaryConclusion or Summary

Be sure to read the Be sure to read the conclusion or conclusion or summarysummary of the of the chapter. chapter.

The summary tells you The summary tells you the main points or ideas the main points or ideas that the author thought that the author thought were importantwere important

End of Chapter End of Chapter QuestionsQuestions

Be able to answer the Be able to answer the questions at the end of questions at the end of the chapter. the chapter.

These questions usually These questions usually cover the most cover the most important information important information in the chapter.in the chapter.

IndexIndex

Look at the back of the Look at the back of the book for thebook for the index index, , which lists topics, which lists topics, people, and places people, and places mentioned in the book.mentioned in the book.

The index also tells the The index also tells the page where that page where that information appears. information appears.

Helps For Studying:Helps For Studying:

As you read chapters in your textbook, you can As you read chapters in your textbook, you can do the following to help you learn the material:do the following to help you learn the material:

Think about what you are reading and Think about what you are reading and formulate your own questions about the formulate your own questions about the material based on what you have read.material based on what you have read.

Try to restate concepts and ideas in the chapter Try to restate concepts and ideas in the chapter in your own words. in your own words.         (continue on next page)(continue on next page)

More Helps for Studying More Helps for Studying

Look for text cues to important information:Look for text cues to important information: Cause/Effect: Cause/Effect: since, because, due to, for this since, because, due to, for this

reason, therefore.reason, therefore. Comparison/Contrast:Comparison/Contrast: likewise, as opposed to, likewise, as opposed to,

however, but, nevertheless.however, but, nevertheless. Problem/Solution:Problem/Solution: one reason for that, a possible one reason for that, a possible

solution.solution. Sequence:Sequence: until, before, after, finally. until, before, after, finally.

More Helps For Studying:More Helps For Studying:

After reading each section, try to remember the main After reading each section, try to remember the main ideas. Say them aloud--this will help you to ideas. Say them aloud--this will help you to remember and to identify blanks in your knowledge. remember and to identify blanks in your knowledge. It will also help you organize information in your It will also help you organize information in your mind. mind.

Review your notes and see if you can remember main Review your notes and see if you can remember main concepts and facts.concepts and facts.

Try to discover how ideas in the chapter are related to Try to discover how ideas in the chapter are related to each other. (continue on next page)each other. (continue on next page)

More Helps For Studying:More Helps For Studying:

Try to make some connections with information you Try to make some connections with information you already know.already know.

Read the chapter summary again and make sure you Read the chapter summary again and make sure you understand all the main points.understand all the main points.

Take some notes. You may want to wait until you Take some notes. You may want to wait until you have read an entire section before you begin, because have read an entire section before you begin, because you will then be able to judge the importance of some you will then be able to judge the importance of some of the ideas and concepts.of the ideas and concepts.

Sources:Sources: Bates, Marianne F. “ Make the Most of Your Textbook.” Powerpoint Bates, Marianne F. “ Make the Most of Your Textbook.” Powerpoint

template used with permission of the author. September 2005.template used with permission of the author. September 2005. Danzer, Gerald A. Danzer, Gerald A. The AmericansThe Americans. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Littell, . Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Littell,

1998. Textbook images.1998. Textbook images. "How To Read a Textbook: The 'PQRST' Approach.""How To Read a Textbook: The 'PQRST' Approach."

http://cob.jmu.edu/woodtf/how_to_read_a_text_book.htmhttp://cob.jmu.edu/woodtf/how_to_read_a_text_book.htm "How to Read a Textbook (and Take Notes).""How to Read a Textbook (and Take Notes)."

http://planet.tvi.cc.nm.us/darryld/reading99/course/readtextbk.htmhttp://planet.tvi.cc.nm.us/darryld/reading99/course/readtextbk.htm "How to Read a Science Textbook.""How to Read a Science Textbook."

http://userpages.wittenberg.edu/dfinster/reading.htmlhttp://userpages.wittenberg.edu/dfinster/reading.html P-R-R: How to Read Your Textbook More Efficiently."P-R-R: How to Read Your Textbook More Efficiently."

http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/lrnres/handouts/1422.htmlhttp://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/lrnres/handouts/1422.html "Reading: How To Read a Textbook.”"Reading: How To Read a Textbook.”

http://www.literacymatters.org/content/readandwrite/textbook.htmhttp://www.literacymatters.org/content/readandwrite/textbook.htm \ \ School Library Media Activities MonthlySchool Library Media Activities Monthly, Nov 2005, p. 39., Nov 2005, p. 39.