Ways to Improve Your Reading Process reading tasks require
different speeds. how much time and work a particular assignment
calls for. Some you should skim; others you should read closely
and critically. A few may even call for a detailed analysis. In
our class, most literary texts will call for close, critical
reading. However, unless otherwise indicated, you might give a
cursory reading to the introductions. And depending on how
familiar you are with literary analysis and MLA documentation,
some of the Simon and Schuster material you may even be able to
simply skim. |2. Preview the text. When you first examine a
reading, try to gain a sense of the overall structure of ideas
and concerns. Look at titles, chapter headings, lists, and words
and phrases bolded or in italics. These often clue you in to an
essay's key concepts, central concerns, or organization. Be
aware of the genre of the work: a poem calls for different
reading skills than a play or a novel. Pay attention to the
beginning and ending. Such matt