Reading Levels

1. Elementary Reading
   • "What does the sentence say?"
   • The most basic
   • Trying to grok the simplest understanding of the words on the page
2. Inspectional Reading
   • "What is the book/article about"
   • Sub-types:
     • Systematic Skimming
       • Used when we lack the time to read
       • As it says on the tin: skimming
     • Superficial Reading
       • The act of reading
       • You keep reading even if you don't understand the content
       • Lack of deep thinking while reading
       • Used for entertainment purposes (reading the news, fiction, etc.)
3. Analytical Reading
   • Most complete form
   • Takes a lot of time and energy
   • Used when trying to understand a topic in depth
   • You ask lots of questions, write notes, debate the author, etc.
4. Synoptic Reading
   • Sometimes referred to as comparative reading
   • Read many ideas on the same topic and compare
   • Its important to find opposing views and compare them
   • About the purpose, not the books you read

reading