Encouraging students to read actively and critically, to approach reading as a thinking process, and to analyze their own reading and learning strategies, Efficient and Flexible Reading teaches students how to vary their approach to written texts based on the material and their purpose for reading. Efficient and Flexible Reading teaches students how to identify text structures and thought patterns for more efficient learning. Emphasizing reading as an active thinking process, the author presents systems for monitoring concentration, comprehension, and recall, encouraging students to assess the reading assignment and to select the appropriate strategy to suit the situation.

Table of Contents:
Preface  Part 1Developing a Basis for Reading and Learning Chapter1      Developing Your Efficiency and Flexibility Analyzing Your Reading Efficiency Analyzing Your Learning Style Developing Reading Flexibility Principles of Efficiency and Flexibility Evaluating Your Rate and Flexibility Critical Thinking Tip #1 Developing Critical Thinking Skills Summary Reading Selection 1 “How to Brag About Yourself to Win and Hold a New Job” Reading Selection 2 “Talking A Stranger Through the night” Chapter2      Active Reading and Learning Reading and Thinking Actively Improving Your Concentration Monitoring Your Comprehension Prereading and Predicting Developing Guide Questions Critical Thinking Tip #2 Developing a Questioning Mind-Set Summary Reading Selection 3 “Profile of a Terrorist” Reading Selection 4 “Just Walk On By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space” Chapter3      Strengthening Your Word Power Expanding Your Vocabulary Using Contextual Aids Analyzing Word Parts Using Word Mapping to Expand Your Vocabulary A System for Learning Unfamiliar Words Using Vocabulary Reference Sources Critical Thinking Tip #3 Vague Versus Clear Meanings Summary Reading Selection 5 “My Black Skin Makes My White Coat Vanish” Reading Selection 6 “Stem cell Therapy: Promise and Reality” Academic Scenario Part 2 Improving Your Comprehension Chapter 4      Main Ideas and Paragraph Structure Paragraph Organization Identifying the Topic Finding the Main Idea and Topic Sentence Implied Main Idea                   Developing Expectations as You Read Major and Minor Supporting Details Types of Supporting Details Using Transitions Critical Thinking Tip #4 Recognizing Your Own Bias Summary Reading Selection 7 “The Appreciation of Humor” Reading Selection 8 “Privacy on the Web” Chapter 5      Patterns: Relationships Among Ideas How Recognizing a Pattern Improves Recall Common Organizational Patterns Other Useful Patterns of Organization Using Transitional  Words Critical Thinking Tip #5 Analyzing Cause-Effect Relationships Summary Reading Selection 9 “Electronic Monitoring: An Alternative to Imprisonment” Reading Selection 10 “How Students Get Lost in Cyberspace” Chapter 6      Reading Essays and Articles Reading Essays Reading Articles Analyzing Essays and Articles Critical Thinking Tip #6 Evaluating Research Sources Summary  Reading Selection 11 “War: The Mother of All Words” Reading Selection 12 “Alternative Drug Testing Update” Academic Scenario Part 3 Reading and Learning from College Texts Chapter 7      Techniques for Learning Textbook Material Writing as a Learning Tool Highlighting Techniques Annotating and Making Marginal Notations Paraphrasing Outlining Mapping to Show Relationships Summarizing Information Critical Thinking Tip #7 Annotating and Critical Thinking Summary Reading Selection 13 “Plagiarism” Reading Selection 14 “Guerilla Marketing: A New Trend in Advertising” Academic Scenario Chapter 8      Learning and Retention Strategies Using the Organization of Textbook Chapters Applying Effective Recall Strategies Reading and Learning with the SQ3R System Reading Scientific/Technical Material Critical Thinking Tip #8 Using Your Background Knowledge and Experience Summary Reading Selection 15 “Problem Solving” Reading Selection 16 “The Value of Pet Ownership” Chapter 9      Graphic and Visual Literacy Why Graphics Are Used A Strategy for Reading Graphics Integrating Text and Graphics Types of Graphics Critical Thinking Tip #7 Analyzing Statistics Summary Reading Selection 17 “Homeostasis” Reading Selection 18 “Pangaea: The Supercontinent and the Effects of Its Breakup” Part 4 Reading Critically Chapter 10    Critical Analysis Grasping Denotative and Connotative Meanings Making Inferences Distinguishing Between Fact and Opinion Recognizing Generalizations Identifying Tone Identifying the Author’s Purpose Identifying Bias Understanding Figurative Language Critical Thinking Tip #10 Slanted Writing Summary Reading Selection 19 “I Am a Japanese American” Reading Selection 20 “Early Encounters with the Artist Within” Chapter 11    Evaluating Arguments and Persuasive Writing Evaluating Source and Authority Reading Arguments Evaluating Arguments Errors in Logical Reasoning Critical Thinking Tip #11 Evaluating Emotional Appeals Summary Reading Selection 21 “From a Vegetarian: Looking at Hunting from Both Sides Now” Reading Selection 22 “Out of Time” Chapter 12    Reading and Evaluating Internet Sources Locating Electronic Sources on the Web Tips for Locating Reliable Web Sites Evaluating the Content of a Web Site Evaluating the Accuracy of a Web Site Evaluating the Timeliness of a Web Site Evaluating the Purpose of a Web Site Evaluating the Structure of a Web Site A Checklist for Evaluating Web Sources Reading Electronic Text Developing New Ways of Thinking and Reading Critical Thinking Tip # 12 Choosing Between Print and Internet Sources Summary Reading Selection 23 “Fossil Fuel for Breakfast” Reading Selection 24 “The Sandman Is Dead—Long Live the Sleep Deprived Walking Zombie” Academic Scenario Part 5 Increasing Your Rate and Flexibility Chapter 13    Skimming and Scanning Skimming Scanning Critical Thinking Tip #13 Anticipating Your Reading Assignments Summary Reading Selection 25 “Barriers to Effective Listening” Reading Selection 26 “Stress Management: Personally Adjusting to Stress” Chapter 14    Techniques for Reading Faster Eye-Movement Patterns Reading in Meaning Clusters Key Word Reading Using Cue Words Rapid Reading Drills Pacing Techniques Rereading for Rate Increase Critical Thinking Tip #14 Recognizing Judgments Summary Reading Selection 27 “Teens Driven to Distraction” Reading Selection 28 “The Functions and Effects of Music” Academic Scenario Appendix A: A Guide to Taking Exit Exams APPENDIX B: Words-Per-Minute Conversion Chart Appendix C: Reading Progress Graph Credits Index