Page 200 - Keys to College Success

Real-life writing: Ask for help. Self-help plans often involve reaching out to others. Draft an
email to your instructor that describes the difficulties you are facing in your challenging course,
as well as specific help you need to move to the next step. Make sure your message is clear and
accurate; your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct; and your tone is appropriate.
Whether you send the email or not is up to you. In either case, writing it will help you move
forward in your reading-improvement plan.

WORK IT Build Your Brand

Reading Skills on the Job Excellent reading skills are a requirement for almost every 21st
century job. Employers expect you to read independently and master new skills to keep up with
change. For example, working in the field of sociology requires you to keep on top of case
reports, government regulations, court documents, and research materials. Plus, nearly every job
requires you to read memos, emails, and reports from your co-workers and managers.
Prepare yourself by honestly assessing your practical skills right now. Copy the following list
on your paper or in your document. For each item, rate your ability on a scale of 1 to 10, with
10 being the highest:
■ Concentrate, no matter the distractions.
■ Define your reading purpose and use it to guide your focus and pace.
■ Use specific vocabulary-building techniques to improve comprehension.
■ Use every aspect of SQ3R to master content.
■ Skim and scan.
■ Use analytical thinking skills when reading.
■ Use highlighting and notes to help you master content.

Identify the two skill areas where you rated yourself lowest and think about how you can
improve. Make a problem-solving plan for each (you may want to use a flowchart like the one
on page 152). Check your progress in one month and again at the end of the term. Finally, write
one short paragraph describing how you anticipate using reading skills in your chosen career.

Reading, Research, and Writing

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