How do you read your textbook?

Just curious. I'm in college and how I read the assigned chapter(s) each week is usually straight through if its something I'm interesting but if its something like history I have to take frequent breaks because I don't find it engaging and the chapters are very long.

Is that a bad way to read it? I try to think about what I read and look up anything I don't know before I move on.

I heard its good to take breaks between studying. I kind of space out when I read too much history at once

I usually read the chapter in parts (take breaks) and then reread the highlighted words. I think do whatever works for you.

While I'm not in college, I usually read straight through. I make notes where there is something I need to look up. Then I go back and look everything up at once. That way I'm not constantly flipping back and forth.

If I'm lucky I can get through one chapter a day.

Taking breaks is a good thing. I was taught in the military to take 10 minutes for every hour of studying. You might have to take more.

Depends if it is math-heavy or not. If I have to guess, yours is not.

I just read it, and integrate the info that is new to what I know already. I do think that this may not be the best approach for everyone. Especially if more than 50% of all the things you read are new. To me, it is about painting the bigger picture and what details are important vs which ones aren't.

I see people highlight stuff with 5 different colours. I see people taking notes, and making summaries. That doesn't seem to work for me. My approach is odd, but successful, somehow.

Subjects like History, where you have to memorize names and dates, I have to visualize how it looks to best remember it.

I think a good way to study is to read 45 minutes straight and then take break 10-15 minutes. I would recommend to drink juice during this break or drink/eat something sugary to recharge your brain's power.

When I was reading history, I was highlighting the important points to remember and memorize.

BlueBird, if what you are doing works for you I'd keep doing it. People learn differently. It pays to use the style that works for that person.

It's been donkey years since I was in school, but I had to do a LOT of reading in grad school. I would highlight and write notes in the margin as I read. If there was something I wanted to come back and read again, I'd flag the page with a post-it. I didn't read for a set amount of time. I'd read until my brain said it was time for a break. I'd usually go do something physical for a little bit (again, no set time) because that allowed me to let my brain go on idle for awhile.

Going to repeat myself, if what you are doing is working for you I'd recommend continuing.

I have to do my assignments until Completion. I can't take breaks bc I lose focus and motivation. I read the text and underline and highlight. Then answer all the questions and take the exam. It takes me 4+ hours. The stuff I'm studying is very difficult and complex, so it's really time consuming.

I like your avatar. Every time I see it I laugh

It depends on how well you are focusing on that particular textbook.

If a textbook has a lot of dry, dense material and you have trouble focusing, I think taking a break between sections is helpful. I'd say taking a break for about 5 minutes to get up, stretch your neck, look outside, take the garbage out, go check the mail, put the dishes away, etc. is good. If the material is engaging, try to read it straight through.

Right now I am taking a class where the text is an awful, dry read and it's dense. I often have to consult youtube to see a visual explanation. However, because of how awful the text is, I read straight through. Then I re-read and highlight. Then I take a break, and skim through and take notes of what I highlighted. No, I don't do this for every class. This class needs it because it's the only way I seem to digest the material.

There's another class where I can read the chapter and understand it immediately. It's easier to read all the way through, and a break is only needed because of how long it took me to read.

I study for 5 minutes and take a 2 hours break.
6 months ago I was able to 'study' for many hours but I was still very slow compared to 5 years ago (15%-20% of perfomance I think).

I either forget to read, or I kind of try to read through and feel overwhelmed or confused, or I end up just kind of skimming through it...either way I learn absolutely nothing.

for me and my textbooks, i usually just find the information pertaining to the questions the professor has asked. I know history can be so boring, but just take frequently breaks when reading I guess. What school do you attend? I am a online student with Troy University and love it.

I would say highlight but you might be one of those who cannot stand defacing books lol so make mind maps as you go along and take notes. Skim read the first time, go back over it again.
Yeah breaks are a must. Maybe play a song to break it up make it less of a chore, have a tea or coffee, bit of dark choc

Recently I've been reading through, but usually I will either read and take breaks, both timed (10 minute read, 5 minute break), or, and what I prefer better, give myself a set number of pages to read, and then take a ten minute break. Since I tend to forget, or loose track easily, and that way I can make sure I've read to the end of the paragraph before taking a break.

When in college, I'd begin with the questions or exercises at the end of the chapter. Then I'd read the portion that answered the questions. That's it. (Most questions on a test are drawn from the exercises in the back of the chapter anyway.) I never read a chapter in it's entirety. I ended up with straight A's save for one B in English Comp class, so that worked well for me.

Lectures were where I learned the most, so I never cut class.

Interesting approach!

I was a history major so suspect I don't find history boring I engage whatever the material is, if I find it boring I ask it why :-) and start looking online about that particular statement or paragraph and find something more interesting to me about it, find out why I find it boring :-) But paying attention to how I feel about the material and figuring out why I feel "that" way, that helps me learn it or something relating to it that's better/good enough so I can distract the professor with a good statement they weren't expecting.

I guess it depends on what the subject is. I'm not really sure if it's your thing, but taking notes in color always keeps me focused for some reason, it's like my brain's actively doing something even if it's boring