Quick Links: Before you read  While you're reading  After you finish reading  Reading boring texts  Reading hard texts  Reading literature		Boring Texts:               If you find yourself in front of a text be it a novel, text book, or directions to your VCR and this is something that you have to read and most likely don’t want to there is a good chance that what you have in front of you is a boring text.  What makes it boring to you may be that exact thing that is interesting about this text to someone else, but in any case you don’t want to read it or all ready have read it, maybe didn’t understand all of it, and don’t want to have to read it again.             Reading a boring text is like any other chore we have ever had to do in our lives.  I don’t want to wash the car, mow the lawn, clean my room or clean the entire house, but we have to.  We have to start somewhere and begin to chip away at the chore ahead of us, standing in our way.  So we start doing little things that don’t take much effort and get something accomplished like throwing all the dirty clothes in the hamper or getting the soap and water running or shoveling the “you know what” before you start up the mower.  A reader needs to organize steps in working through a text.  Here are a few to help you start: Change your approach Read all bold print and chapter headings Read all introductions and conclusions Skim if needed Take simple notes Set a goal Understand why you’re reading             We’ve all had those horrible and boring assignments given by teachers unsympathetic to our need for exciting and stimulating homework.  Take for instance, Lucas’ recent experience with a computer class:                    "...the problem I have with [this computer class] is the extremely boring, and long winded text book that we were forced to buy for about $80, and read. Considering the fact that the computer that I own is a dinosaur, and that I am one of those hands-on, trial and error learners, reading an in depth text book about programs that I have never used, or in some cases seen, makes reading this book an excruciating process. So, what do I do? I basically find myself reading the text so that I can find the answer to the worksheet that was handed out. What a waste of money!”--Lucas               I agree, Lucas.  Unfortunately these types of situations occur far too often.  And not just within the campuses of your local schools and universities, but within our everyday existence.  Have you ever tried to read a driving manual?  Surely you’ve had to read through policies and procedures at work.  And what about the 20 page booklet of recent changes to your policy that your car insurance agent has just sent you to brush up on?  Boring texts are all around us.  Success is dependent upon them.               If you think a boring text is too difficult to finish reading, you’re not alone.  The best readers have a difficult time digesting a text that is boring.  Even fast readers who love to read have a hard time sitting through a session with a boring text.  In talking with Nicole, a university senior, I was told that, as a child, she loved reading so much that the only way for her mother to punish her was to ground her from her books.  Be that as it may, this is what Nicole had to say about boring texts:               "If a text is boring, I stop reading it, simple as that."                      Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all had that option?  Unfortunately, there is still that upcoming test, the homework that is due, and the presentation at work that is dependent on your understanding of boring texts.  Nicole is not the only well-educated person that has problems with boring texts.  In fact, I think that all of us, at some time or another, will have problems with certain types of texts that we find boring.               "Sometimes my mind wanders away from the text and I realize that I haven’t been paying attention to the meaning, even as my eyes read the words." -- Caroline               If college students can’t get through a boring text, is it impossible for the rest of us who may not be such good readers?  So how does one begin to get the information that is needed without falling asleep or dying of boredom during the process?               Change your approach.  If you’re trying to read a boring text like a novel, you’re probably going to waste your time with a lot of information that you don’t need.                 Read all bold print and chapter headings.  The best readers know little secrets to get through a text.  One of the most difficult concepts for a new reader to understand is how to pull information out of a text without reading each and every word.  Be smart.  If information is important, it will be in bold or be stated in a chapter heading.               Read all introductions and conclusions.  If information is important, it will be stated at the beginnings of chapters, as well as being re-stated at the end.  It will be repeated multiple times throughout the text.  Keep your eyes open.                 Skim if needed.  To see the relevant information, look for words and phrases that are repeated consistently.  Strong statements have short and concise phrasing, where unnecessary information will continue on with historical information, unneeded examples, irrelevant graphs or charts.         Take simple notes.  Sometimes the best way to understand information is to jot down examples on the side of the text or on a separate sheet of paper.  Some great tips for boring texts were given by Scott:             “Instead of reading the text word-for-word, I scan the text looking for keywords and I highlight or underline those words, as well as the sentences before and after the words. I do this so I can provide some kind of context for the keywords.”              Good idea, Scott.  Taking simple notes and/or highlighting texts really is a big help.  Once the main reading goal is reached, a person can look back over the text, see what is written in the margins and/or highlighted, and get a very detailed understanding as to how the information fits together.                 Set a goal.               “I tend to immediately size up how many pages that I have to read. While I am reading it, I tend to flip to the end of the reading to see how much further I have to go."--Kelly             Looking at the whole text is difficult if you’re not excited about reading, even for good readers.  The piece of writing becomes an obstacle, and one which is far too easily procrastinated on.  If one sets manageable goals, reading is started much more smoothly and becomes less of a hurdle.                   Understand why you’re reading.  If you don’t understand why you’re reading a text, then the information becomes largely irrelevant and unnecessary, making the text even more boring.  Sometimes the only reason is, like in Lucas’ instance, to do the homework worksheets.  At other times, perhaps your teacher wants you to read a boring and old fashioned novel simply to note differences in dress, speech, etc.  If you’re unsure why you’re reading a text you find uninteresting, ask your teacher/boss/etc, also asking them what you should pay close attention to.              “Once I have what I feel to be the substance of the text highlighted I go through and try to connect these concepts to the concepts being discussed in class. This really helps cement the ideas in my head.”--Scott               Following these simple tips will help you get through the most boring of texts.  Have fun.		Metaphor: Put your metaphor or model for reading here. Use a catchy heading to attract readers.  Page Leaders: Put your names here as the people who have led the creation of this part of our resource