Everyone looks for ways to be more successful. American executives strive to compete with aggressive foreign competitors, teachers seek ways to enrich student learning, and students, like you, search for ways to improve academic performance.

So, how can you, like a company president or a college professor, improve your chances for success? First, realize that whether your goal is to improve performance on a widget production line or a sociology final exam, the basic blueprint can be the same: you plan what you need to do; you implement your plan; you review how well you did. Then, since goals such as zero defects or, in your case, understanding more of what you read, can't always be met the first time you complete your plan, you view reading as a cycle instead of a one-shot activity.

PLAN: Pre-Reading Strategies Establish a good physical environment Relax and set a positive attitude Review instructions Review lecture notes Set your purpose Preview the assignment Organize your thoughts Determine what you want to know when you finish reading
	DO: Reading Strategies Be actively involved Check your comprehension as you read Restate ideas in your own words Form mental pictures Compare what you are reading to what you know Answer the questions you developed during pre-reading Fix-up your comprehension when needed Define unfamiliar words Keep problem on hold and hope it will clarify itself Re-read a portion of the text Compare information with notes or another source Ask someone for help
REVIEW: Post-Reading Strategies Consolidate and integrate information Answer questions Test yourself Participate in a study group Space review over time Decide what else you need to know