How to Read Your Textbooks More Efficiently - College Info Geek

Don't be a textbook zombie.
Companion blog post with notes, resource links, and the HabitRPG guild link:
collegeinfogeek.com/how-to-rea...
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[@alviasad2]

To those who say “I’m watching this instead of studying”, I’d rather “sharp my axe before cutting the tree”.

[@sajalbhat9820]

Dem dem .. 🔥🔥

[@RealKaiserBelial]

Speech 100

[@aservantofallah]

100% agree

[@TheLordPranamya]

Preach

[@camron1103]

Nice excuse.

[@jonathanmacdonald-akbari6001]

Anyone else procrastinating watching how to study instead of actually studying?

[@GeorgianaRadu]

yessss

[@duncano187]

You ever doubly procrastinate and just read the comments and not watch the video...

[@Phresh2D3F]

+Jonathan Macdonald - Akbar How else are we supposed to learn how to be more effective students, on our free time?? lol

[@madridistan819]

+Jonathan Macdonald - Akbar Lmao always

[@pillowybun]

Me

[@melodychia6205]

summary 1. Do Active reading by taking notes. 2. Determine the focus of reading: main concepts or details. 3. Measure daily progress by effort or outcome. 4. Reward myself after reading.

[@catedoge3206]

legend.

[@kikic.6950]

Ugh thank you so so much! I appreciate you!

[@destiny1077]

nice pfp :)

[@Simplied]

I reward my self for reading by not reading 😭😭

[@mikasa2709]

Ty very much sir

[@CassandraBankson]

*you might be the only reason I survive this semester.* 🙌🏽

[@abbycadabbie]

Cassandra Bankson I’m procrastinating watching these videos on how to study and learn instead of working on homework and studying lol

[@shreeshshukla8638]

Me too

[@satishm5260]

😐👌and you have a big KZbin channel.

[@rooost9856]

Wait wait didn't i see you in john fish video too

[@The3nlightened0ne]

Man, you have damn good public speaking skills.

[@Thomasfrank]

Mr. Ding thanks dude! Just comes through practice :)

[@The3nlightened0ne]

What's your opinion on speed-reading and photo-reading, btw? Is it legitimate or a scam?

[@Thomasfrank]

For the most part, the "speed reading" that you'll hear claims about either is a scam or isn't useful for when you're actually trying to learn. You may be able to make moderate speed gains, however - though many of them will come through the techniques I talked about in my Active Reading video rather than stuff like "eliminating sub-vocalization". I'd like to do a video on this soon, but Scott Young wrote a fantastic blog post on the subject recently: www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2015/01/19/speed-reading-redo/

[@The3nlightened0ne]

I'll check it out. Thanks for you input.

[@reinequeenz5090]

I

[@slowee]

reading is like working out. gotta get in the habit like a lifestyle.

[@GeraldOng]

Thanks for the lessons Thomas, I've really learned a lot. Here's my note on this video 3 Main Goals of reading 1) Get right information 2) retain info 3) Spend less time Understand the purpose of reading your textbook 1:45 1) Answer MCQs 2) To write an essay in your own words 3) Evaluate data 4) Summarize in order to present - Practice Active reading versus passive reading, more info in next video - Create input or output or a combination of reading routine

[@lymai4251]

Gerald Ong love your work lot!

[@alishba.21]

i love it when people summarize the video so i can see if its actually worth watching or not

[@youkai2497]

Are you a millionaire question mark

[@robertoparada7198]

You are just stating the obvious. No one actually explains how to the biggest obstacle of reading. You approach this as a one size fits all method. This may not be effective to everyone or every reading.

[@denissemedina4619]

Yup you can also make sure you know the content by explaining to a friend or to yourself, that way when the exam comes you only have to review and fill in the gaps and what you transfer to your long term memory is never forgotten :) it does take practice tho

[@superladdercat1642]

damn it i came here to procrastinate why do i feel like reading now lol

[@derpderpington1863]

Magic

[@lizageorge8923]

ah i was stressing and then i saw your profile pic and i remember pastel phil and pastel dan and now im a happy boi much thanks.

[@georgia3123]

The phandom is literally everywhere!!

[@hii_im_trash7315]

same bruh..same !

[@Em-kg7qn]

I know it sounds really simple, but as someone who was taught at school to memorize everything in order to learn, I now realize that the best way I've come to learn what is on the pages is to understand everything. Treat it like a story you are listening to. You want to know the details, the relationships between subjects, you want to be capable of explaining it to someone else. I wish someone had told me about this during high school.

[@tuanas458]

Yea a phd once told me to treat it like a story. But its kinda difficult to make it like that sometimes.

[@gummy5862]

Idk for me I just try to make a judgement call on whether or not certain info is important or not. Then I pray I didn’t omit anything important. 💀

[@darkvixenkillu]

It takes time to learn how to get through textbooks and reading material, particularly for a subject you hate, but I have a tip that may help if your really struggling. My most hated subject is history so naturally reading a chapter of a history textbook is practically torturous for me, but I finally figured out a way that helps me remember most of what I read. I'v started focusing on turning what I'm reading into a mental image in my head (its a bit similar to those short "Animated Hero Classics" they made us watch in elementary school). Yeah I know It sounds weird, and if you don't have a good imagination then this probably won't help, but when I read the material and then I can see it in my head it makes it way easier to get through the reading assignments.And because I can associate mental images of people and places it also helps me remember important names and events. So if anyone else has as many issues with history as I have, try that tip out and see if it helps.

[@kevinonyedikachukwu564]

Thanks!

[@Hannahali94]

this is hella hard for psych. My university tests us on the smallest details in the textbook. Everything is fair game, so I spend like 3-4 hours per chapter, and an additional 2 hours learning lecture notes. I do space my time in that I don't take more than 2 psych course per semester

[@TheHunter128]

My life right now.

[@kevmar29]

😫😩

[@marylin6385]

F same

[@serafinaobi]

I’m taking Psych right now and I don’t mind reading but it does take a lot of time lmaooo. Mine is solely textbook based.

Absolutely the same here. International relations.

[@r3dk2]

I was always lost during reading my textbooks and I thought "I'm just reading to learn what I'm expected to for my exams" and that didn't have any progress because I usually just skim over hundreds of pages and get almost nothing. Your video helped a lot, thank you very much. Please keep it up. :)

[@Thomasfrank]

Allan glad it helped! Definitely focus on actively interacting with the text and creating your own content from it in some way. In the next textbook video I'll show you a way you can keep skimming quickly while also doing this :)

[@carlottathefriendlyperson7710]

A friend that challenges me intellectually? Where do I get those?

[@xoxoLia]

I had to show this to my 4th grader. I had told him he had to take notes in class but didn't know how to explain or show him on how to do so. He was fully engaged and interested in not only one but several of your videos. I just had to let you know.

[@Thomasfrank]

xoxoLia this is one of the coolest things I've ever heard! He's going to be an awesome college student someday :)

[@ultravioletpisces3666]

I never really knew how to study in school until I borrowed a video called "where there's a will, there's an A" I was in high school and it was the college version (they had three versions I think) so I just had to take what I could bit it really helped... They really don't teach you how to learn or how to get good grades, somehow they think we are just supposed to know! PS I'm 43 now. I'm not currently in school but I love watching how to study videos because I'm super weird and would be a professional student if somebody would fund it!

[@umnikos]

Wait, I am currently studying how to study. Does that mean that I should be studying how to be studying how to study?

[@Thomasfrank]

I'm so meta, even this acronym

[@HewyDewyLewy]

Thomas Frank : What does meta mean?

[@ryananthonycrewe-rees5345]

Something is meta if it's an exegetical variant of a normative statement. Take meta-ethics for example, an example of a normative statement is 'All murder is wrong.' while a meta-ethical statement is formulated like this 'All murder is wrong because the laws of my country dictate that it is.'

[@umnikos]

Ryan Anthony Crewe-Rees I'm now more confused than before.

[@danimoosakhan]

Alex Stefanov basically, u are training your brain to how to study. There is no such thing as study how to study. It's your brain which does all the understanding and you have to train it so it can do it effectively and efficiently.

[@Delictious]

I'm so glad I found your channel! You're great at presenting the information in a clear and concise way. Thanks for doing these videos!

[@opthalmos2660]

Summary 1. know what you are doing 2. the reason and the purpose of your reading 3. get the right information for what are doing 4. input study should be our main then out-put study should make us known what input study i have done 5. taking note is necessary and making summary will have us to know.

[@samantha4564]

thank you so much for this!!! I’m currently taking an 8 week (normal classes are 12-15 weeks) Abnormal Psych class where we have to read a 14 chapter book for the final exam; we’re halfway through and I’m only on chapter 3 and I was stressing out about how I was going to squeeze in 10 chapters of information in 4 weeks but your advice and tips on active reading and note taking gave me new motivation and now I’m thinking I could actually pull this off 😂

[@smailasma3491]

I discovered you yesterday and I can't stop watching all your videos, your tips are so helpful, thank you really

[@adriant8028]

Hi, I show your videos to my college class all of the time! Thanks! They like them because they're interesting (funny at times) and informative. Keep up the great work!

[@ikigai999]

You are the best studytuber man. You are such a positive energy. And your ideas work.

[@kaylas6800]

I'm not going into college, but into college prep school. It's a boarding school, and I was kind of freaking out about the work load, but watching your videos has given me a lot of confidence that I am going to do good.

[@KaizenDentistry]

Seriously you inspired me, not just for how to study or how to read. You are one of the fewest I know who really get their job done perfectly, well done geek.

[@dhanhyaa]

I wish I came across this channel when I started college.

[@bricegump5726]

Awesome video man thanks! I really like how you break down the different types of reading, very usual

[@CoffeeEmblem]

"Have more time for Smash Bros." Priorities xD

[@Thomasfrank]

PsyKeeRan very important priorities :P

[@midnightsun2085]

I love watching your videos...the way you talk, present and show..just reassures me about my studying habits. I have an assignment that will be due by the end of this month and my habit has always been to read and remember each and every word, but it becomes difficult as I would not have really engaged in the studying and it becomes a lot more difficult to write out the assignment in my own words. But your advice has chilled me out and I am definitely gonna try this out. Thanks. Shared and Subscribed.

[@kathleenmoran3468]

Love your videos. I use many of them in class to help illustrate my points. Keep up the great work!👍

[@Painting384]

Hey Thomas! Your video is always so helpful. They showed that you have done extensive research before you present any study ideas in your video. I really liked that! Keep it up:)

[@WeddingxPeach97]

I think my problem is I have a hard time seeing the big picture or seeing how all the little sections connect to one thing like I read one section get but be completely lost when they bring up something in that section that looks like it has nothing to do with what I just read there I can't connect the dots so I'm lost

[@WeddingxPeach97]

I did decent😂

[@beebee3526]

WeddingxPeach97 create a real-life situation to apply your studies to (even if it's just in your head). I used to struggle slot with connecting the dots when I first started varsity but applying my courses practically/ hypothetically to my desired career helped me keep in perspective personally & also understand how the courses fit together, as well as their individual importance to the goal

[@BeanSprouts02]

Super Heart What do you mean courses?

[@blueberryvelvet2869]

It sounds like the mind map can help you :D

[@gytisdramblewolfskis8521]

practice makes perfect.

[@PinkRoseRosales]

Just Graduated from College but had to stop and watch this handsome man speaks !!

[@PinkRoseRosales]

+Perla Y Garcia yeah yeah ?!

[@bagellovesfood5540]

+PinkRose Rosales Amazing comeback haha

[@bagellovesfood5540]

Hahahaha if a paragraph is what you consider honestly to be a full essay I wouldn't be surprised if you're still in middle school ;)

[@FlaggedVideoGuy]

You deserve way more views. The quality of the video and the information you provide is fantastic. Thank you for all your insight !

[@Thomasfrank]

FlaggedVideoGuy thank you! Way more views or not, I'll keep making better and better videos :)

[@summerwilliams785]

I agree- thanks so much for great content and great presenting.

[@georgieolmeda8811]

Legit watch these at the beginning of every semester to get back in the groove. You rock my socks.

[@Fosvis]

Man... your videos are key. Well done

[@chacha9385]

I think you're amazing! Love your videos!

[@Thomasfrank]

Charlotte Zamor thank you! Glad you're finding them helpful :)

[@nileshnathwani7820]

You my friend are a friend I appreciate this finally a story voice to help but gentle enough to motivate I appreciate this !

[@ryankerwinmusic]

Hey Thomas, I am huge fan of your videos. I am going to start pursuing an M.M. in jazz performance in the fall and a lot of these tips are also extremely helpful for developing good listening skills :)

[@therealmissglamBAM]

So happy I found your channel, I need to watch like all of your videos immediately! Once again, a slam dunk video. Going to try the daily reading habit!

[@eirini7]

Your videos are amazing . Keep up the nice job. Wish you all the best in the future !!

[@prakharcoolgautam]

Excellent! Love your videos. Keep em' coming...

[@mariofrimpong679]

Thank you for the tips and making it easy and relatable. This video was really helpful.

[@NNynaa]

Your tips and the way you talk make me wanna try them out! Love your video's, thanks!

[@mckenna8663]

I was saying this exact thing to 2 of my A&P tutorettes today. The challenge of Anatomy and Physiology is nearly as much HOW you study as WHAT you study.

[@sachinsarkate1407]

Mc Kenna so have you figured it out?

[@torkomani21]

Hi Thomas ... first thank you for the knowledge you are sharing with us ... each time I see one of your videos I learn something new and the good news is that I started changing my habbits ... I have to add now the active reading (output base part) and also the reward

[@wishfulsinger01]

here i am wrting notes for this video and I must say I understood it better than the other videos I've not taken notes from. thanks so much for your help Thomas!

[@mishmishization]

I am studying for the real estate exam and you helped me a lot. Thank you so much!

[@jamessteven9709]

hi thomas! i think i' m beginning to idolize you. keep up the good work. you're helping a lot of people to learn. love you!

[@leolasi]

Thanks man totally needed this direction so helpful!

[@yes2542]

Freshman taking Alg 2 and a few on ramps and AP courses. Love your videos!

[@bongsvibe544]

Thanks. Awesome video, that's just what I needed to start the semester right

[@XtreamlyRandoms]

Thank you for this. i'm in my first year in university and my first exam is next week. i find it difficult to motivate myself to read and i usually end up wasting my whole day. i will try to read a set amount of time each day and then write a summary of what i've read. thank you again for making this video, it has motivated me a lot! :)

[@isabellovill4306]

Lot of good points. Very beneficial for those who skim, browse, and cram; like myself.

[@karinarahma5659]

OMG thank you Thomas. Such a good insight!!

[@deepaksolanki56]

Dude!! You are really awesome and your tips are really good i apply them in day to day life !! Please dont stop!!

[@christinecb703]

I just began researching for my thesis a month ago and there are so many books and articles I need to go through… I could not have found this video (randomly, btw) at a better time!

[@vandini8185]

Opened my eyes. Thank you!

[@mariamiranda1389]

Awesome vid, very helpful, just subscribed to your channel. Thank you for all the great videos.

[@masatow2668]

Your videos are so useful and help me to motivate myself! i guess watching your videos could be my small reward! ;) from Japan !

[@toanlam7217]

I DO DO DO LOVE THIS SUPER USEFUL AND INCREDIBLY PRACTICAL CHANNEL :). THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRECIOUS LESSONs Thomas Frank.

[@dylanlatour1501]

Watching these videos are my reward for meeting my studying goal.

[@GeefeAlba]

this is your second video that i've watched! :) There's really good tips and techniques thanks so much for sharing!

[@Thomasfrank]

Geefe Alba no problem!

[@RAJEEVRANJAN_07]

Liked these tips. Seems intuitive and logical. Will incorporate these in my reading sessions. The bit about slogging out/zombie reading was on point. I was also more or less doing the same thing. Summary: To read more efficiently *Goal: Get right information and retain it. *Immediate practical reason for studying and improvised strategy. *Two habits: Read consistently & use active reading. *Input -output method: Read for sometime and write a note/summary on it. *Give yourself small reward for reinforcing positive feeling.

[@hydrox24]

Keep creating this content. It's insightful, well compiled and well produced. There isn't a lot of this on KZbin and you're doing a public service by creating this for students. I've subscribed and I'm looking forward to seeing more!

[@Thomasfrank]

hydrox24 glad you're enjoying it - thanks so much for the kind words. You're right; I can't find many dedicated channels on KZbin for learning/study skills.

[@aleksandarm.2377]

I had summer vacation and September free because my school starts at october 1st, thanks to you I learnt so much strategies and i will apply them :)

[@JennMad]

This is so great, thanks man! Subscribed :D

[@peeper2070]

Many people say note-taking isn’t an effective study strategy and I completely agree. But note-taking helps if you collect key information when a wall of text is staring back at you. You are not learning anything, you just struggle to read. So note-taking once helps me.

[@subtheman2136]

I know how you can get used to reading long chapters in a text book as part of an assignment or lecture readings for an assignment and how to read them faster. Just read more books. If you get tired that easily from reading college textbooks or if you are a just a slow reader. That just means you haven't read that many books lately. Reading books gets you used to reading 100s of words and therefore you would get used to reading the text book as if it were a book you read for fun.

[@simpleprogrammingcodes3834]

Thank you for the great videos. I think the art of reading is what makes a difference of learner by osmosis and those who really improve their craft. I have always been an osmosis learner. At some point it even worked for me. But now the result is that I still have no idea how to learn. I hope with the help of your videos I will slowly become better.

[@roxannat89]

So cool, thanks so much, I'm doing online school and my semester just started 1/20 and one of my classes is completely based on a criminal justice textbook the book has five chapters and my course has 5 modules following all five chapters, so I loved the tip at the end of the video the taking notes after the reading and than giving yourself a reward. Will definitely be doing this.

[@Thomasfrank]

Roxanna Torres awesome! Glad you found the video useful, Roxanna :)

[@litedelight7391]

LoL your video quality even 5 years ago was awesome 💙

[@tima1443]

" don't expect youre going to read efficiently by just rereading passages". Oh I felt understood by what you said here aha!

[@haymaroo3577]

Thanks for all videos.I like it.

[@glowfishin1]

+Thomas Frank Thanks for posting this. I am not in college, but can apply these ideas to creating a daily Bible study habit.

[@ernestpatrickzaragoza2702]

Really glad I met you and your videos. Great help! Big thanks! :))

[@pweetyericah1]

you are awesome im starting college this fall thank you for your tips

[@Kyoukya]

Thank you for this video, it was very helpful!

[@NickKartha]

Input and Output goals have been the best take-away from this video. There's a time to take in information and to put it out.

[@mustafamalimi]

Active reading aka Synthesis! Awesome vid man!

[@allenbrown5059]

thank you it was very helpful you just gained a new sub please keep the good content coming

[@larasuliman1434]

Almost watched all your videos while solving math problems instead listening to music THANK YOU for every single advice really beneficial channel 👌🏻👏🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@HiitSquadTv]

This was so helpful. You saved my life.

[@xiloveyoulove]

I just binge watched several of your videos. Soooooo helpful! Thanks Thomas :)

[@DreKC]

These videos are so helpful..

[@malyndahetrick8695]

Thank you for mentioning habitica, I am such a nerd and I think this may help motivate me.

[@bignoknow]

Thanks man!

[@wills2652]

Thanks I needed this!!

[@Fawngirl11]

Subscribed!! Great video!!

[@turkal6445]

thanks man.. your videos are very helpful. good luck!

[@prasannadeshpande4435]

I am watching "your videos" as reward. They are quite helpful and interesting to watch. I really want to build a daily reading habit.

[@juddin03]

"How to read a book" is a great book that teaches how to read ALL kinds of reading. Great video.

[@istoltzyyy]

I just watched this video and then watched 3 more...... WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I WAS STRUGGLING IN HIGH SCHOOL!!!!! I love your advice!!

[@Divine-vg7qg]

Im studying foresics psychology and this has helped thank you 🙏

[@lateefonileyan8618]

its good to have all this kind of info online

[@saigonmadridarchives]

Definitely subscribe after watch this, thanks for such useful tips

[@Loostyc]

Never mind multiple choice test. An oral exam is the real challenge. :D

[@mariamacruz107]

I remember my biology teacher back in high school taught us all these methods & it works perfectly! Just gotta keep doing it over and over again

[@Youtubeuser10873]

Please tell me the methods!!

[@mariamacruz107]

@@KZbinuser10873 writing the notes over and over will help you memorize everything your teacher taught you👍

[@MNolanMillar]

Good tips, yet again. Let me add: reading is like working out. If you lift light weights every day, you're not going to gain much strength. Reading dense or technical material on a regular basis (before or between semesters) builds your reading strength and stamina, just like lifting heavy weights. As a result of doing this kind of heavy reading practice, I find I can breeze through material so much more quickly, especially the lighter content.

[@ProfessorTanyaSpeaks]

On point, as usual. Any thoughts on how deliberately activating students’ prior knowledge can make reading and retention easier?

[@kareemjeiroudi1964]

Getting into the habit of reading everyday is the best decision I made since years. It helped me a lot prevail over feeling overwhelmed by huge texts.

[@balikakamble1433]

thank you so much Thomas sir