I’ve recently launched a pastoral training program that assigns a hefty amount of reading.
Someone recently asked me how to stay focused and retain what they read. It’s an important question, especially for anyone devoted to a life of profitable reading and learning.
Here’s some advice on how to read to comprehend and retain. I’ve broken down the suggestions into three categories: What to do (1) before, (2) during, and (3) after you read.
Before You Read: Anticipate
Ask yourself, “What will this book teach me about?” Then, try to answer that question as thoroughly as you can by only reading the title, front matter, and back matter.
Two principles are at work here:
- Anticipation enhances retention. The more you expect before you read, the more you’ll demand from the book as you read.
- Orientation aids understanding. Some people struggle with understanding and remembering because they have only a vague grasp of what the book is about. This is as unhelpful as someone giving you directions without telling you your starting point.
Sometimes, I’ve used the blank space on the front page of a book to jot down what I hope to gain from it and why I’m eager to learn what it has to teach me.
In my experience, just being excited about what you’re doing to read goes a long way toward improving both understanding and retention.
While You Read: Engage
Many people feel that reading is a passive activity, but nothing could be further from the truth.
To read passively is to read poorly!
Think of reading as playing catch: the author is the thrower, you are the receiver, and the ball is the point the author is making. It’s the author’s job to throw the ball as directly to you as possible—a big job, given the variety of “catchers” they must consider.
But as the reader, you also have a big job. You need to position yourself where the ball is coming and actively reach out to catch it. In other words, you must engage with the text to understand and remember it.
How do you do this? The best way I know is to write in the margins of the book. If that’s not possible (e.g., you don’t own the book), use a separate notebook or even a laptop (less ideal, but better than nothing).
What should you write in the margins? I’ve found it most effective to write summaries or responses in my own words. After a few paragraphs, I think, “So what you’re saying is…” and jot that down. Other times, I’ll write, “Yes! This is important because…” Or, if I’m intrigued or dissatisfied, I might note, “But what about…?”
The principle is this: You tend to remember your interactions with the material, not the material itself.
The more you engage with what you’re reading, the more you’ll remember it.
(By the way, don’t fool yourself into thinking that underlining important passages guarantees you’ll remember them. It’s far more effective to write down why you thought something was important than simply to mark it.)
After You Read: Reflect and Share
Unless you reflect on the material after reading, there’s a good chance you’ll soon forget it. That’s why it’s essential to reflect on what you’ve read and share it with someone else.
Here’s where I push back against the idea that reading is a solitary activity. While it can be, it’s far better to read with others. By this, I mean taking time to discuss the material with people reading the same book—or at least sharing it with someone interested and willing to listen. (The word college literally means “reading together.”)
If you’re not reading the same book as others, here are some alternatives:
- After finishing a section or chapter, take two minutes to jot down key takeaways.
- Share your thoughts about the book on social media or a blog. Don’t worry if your audience is small.
- Talk out loud to yourself, rehearsing key points.
In the words of Mortimer Adler, be a demanding reader. (Yes, read his book.) By engaging with a book before, during, and after you read, you’ll significantly improve your understanding and retention of what you’ve read.
Jonathan M. Threlfall 