University of Kwazulu-Natal

Deep Reading Techniques How To Actually Remember What You Read 2024

Bonisiwe Shabane
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deep reading techniques how to actually remember what you read 2024

Reading is more than just skimming words on a page; it's a complex process that involves understanding, remembering, and connecting ideas. If you've ever wondered how to actually remember what you read, you're not alone. Many struggle to retain information from books, articles, or studies. This guide will walk you through effective techniques and strategies to enhance your reading retention, making your reading experience more rewarding and impactful. Engage actively with the text by summarizing and asking questions as you read. Create a distraction-free environment to help focus and retain information better.

Use techniques like the Feynman Technique to break down complex ideas and reinforce understanding. Incorporate storytelling into your learning to make information more memorable. NPR's Life Kit team offers tips for how to read deeply in an age when we are constantly distracted. Did you ever sit down to read a book, get a half page into it and realize that absolutely nothing has sunk in? Or maybe you finished a book the other day and when it came up at a party, you realized, wow, I don't remember anything about this. Even under the best of circumstances, deep reading is hard, and it's even harder once you throw in a device in your pocket that is constantly clamoring for attention.

But if you want to get better at it, our Life Kit team put together this guide on reading deeper. Here's NPR's Andrew Limbong. ANDREW LIMBONG, BYLINE: Maryanne Wolf has written a number of books about the science of reading. Her latest is "Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain In A Digital World." And she's a big advocate of deep reading, which means what exactly? MARYANNE WOLF: At the heart of it is the point where we, the reader, go beyond the wisdom of the author to discover our own. LIMBONG: Wolf says it is something that we've all done to a certain extent - you know, get completely immersed in a text to bring our own thoughts and opinions to it.

But it's hard to do, particularly if you do most of your reading on a screen. Ever sit down to read a book, get half a page in, and realize nothing has sunk in? It's definitely happened to me. Or maybe you even finished a whole book and later thought, huh, I don't really remember anything about it. Well, even under the best of circumstances, deep reading is hard, even harder when there is a device in your pocket that is constantly competing for your attention. But if you want to get better at it, our Life Kit team put together this guide on reading more deeply.

Here's NPR's Andrew Limbong. ANDREW LIMBONG, BYLINE: Maryanne Wolf has written a number of books about the science of reading. Her latest is "Reader Come Home: The Reading Brain In A Digital World." And she's a big advocate of deep reading, which means what exactly? MARYANNE WOLF: At the heart of it is the point where we, the reader, go beyond the wisdom of the author to discover our own. LIMBONG: Wolf says it is something that we've all done to a certain extent - you know, get completely immersed in a text, bring our own thoughts and opinions to it. But it's hard to do, particularly if you do most of your reading on a screen.

WOLF: The screen itself is a source of attention disruption. And by that, I mean, we have so much information that we have a built-in defense mechanism. We skim. Whether diving into nonfiction, skimming articles, or savoring novels, most readers face the same frustrating problem: forgetting what they read. Hours spent highlighting, underlining, or nodding in agreement are often lost to the fog of memory. But what if there were ways to read not just for the moment—but for life?

This article explores proven techniques for better retention, with real-world examples, backed by neuroscience, and built for busy people who want their reading to stick. Before cracking open a book or loading up an article, ask a simple question: Why am I reading this? Reading with a goal—whether it’s to gather knowledge for work, spark creative ideas, or simply understand a topic more deeply—primes the brain to focus. Example: A startup founder reading The Lean Startup isn’t reading passively. They're looking for frameworks to apply to their next product cycle. This purpose anchors each chapter and increases retention.

The hard truth: Finishing a book doesn't guarantee lasting understanding. The solution: Structured processing after reading dramatically improves retention. The formula: Reading + Externalized knowledge + Deliberate practice = Lasting understanding Have you ever finished a book that absolutely blew your mind, only to find yourself struggling to explain its core message just a few weeks later? You're not alone. Take a moment and think about the last book that fascinated you.

Can you quickly summarize its main argument? What were the key ideas that resonated with you? Where exactly did it change your perspective, and why? What about that book you read a year ago? If you're drawing blanks or fumbling for clear answers, you've encountered a universal challenge: simply reading a book doesn't guarantee you'll remember its insights when you need them most. In this article, I'll show you that investing just a small amount of effort after finishing a book will dramatically improve your retention.

The value you extract from reading will multiply exponentially when you dedicate even a fraction of your reading time to processing what you've consumed. October 12, 2024 — Most people struggle to remember everything they read. With the amount of information we consume daily, it can be overwhelming. However, there are proven strategies that can help you retain a large part of what you read. If you follow these methods, you can remember up to 80% of the material. Here are six strategies to help you with that:

Before diving into a book or article, skim through the material. Look at the headings, subheadings, and key points. This will give you a mental roadmap. You’ll know what to expect. It also helps your brain prepare to absorb the information. This step is often called “pre-reading” and is an essential part of active reading.

Many people read just to get through the content. But reading passively makes it hard to remember the material. Instead, engage with what you’re reading. Ask yourself questions as you go through the text. Think about how the information connects to what you already know. You can also underline or highlight important points.

Active reading ensures your brain stays involved, making it easier to recall later. Writing things down as you read is one of the best ways to remember information. Summarize each section in your own words. This forces your brain to process the content…

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