SPARK: Student Papers and Academic Research Kit: Passive vs. Active Reading

If you read passively, you might miss really important details and information. Are you reading passively? Do you:

• Read simply to get through the assigned pages?
• Pay little attention to identifying and remembering the main ideas?
• Feel little engagement with the reading?
• Avoid rereading sections or asking questions

Characteristics of reading passively include:

• rushing through reading just to get it done
• forgetting the material immediately after reading
• falling asleep while reading
• texting, emailing or watching TV while reading
• overzealous highlighting of a text

Active reading is more like a discussion between you and the material, and therefore involves repeated questioning, critiquing, re-examination and re-reading to develop ideas about what you're reading. The benefits of active reading include:

• more efficient reading and studying time
• greater concentration and focus while you read
• improved understanding of key information

Characteristics of reading actively include:

• asking questions to uncover the purpose and meaning of the text
• frequently noting the main points and restating them in your own ideas to make sure you understand
• reflecting on the relationship between the readings and your topic
• making connections between the readings and themes discussed in class