12 Strategy: Reading Online
How is traditional print reading different from online reading?
|
In Print reading |
Online reading |
|
Writers/sources are typically deemed authoritative by virtue of being published. |
Because it’s easy for anyone to publish online, authority of information typically merits more evaluation. |
|
Information typically consists only of text, sometimes with images. |
Hyperlinks, images, audio, and video are usually part of the reading experience. |
|
Information typically flows sequentially (from the first word of the text to the last). |
Information can flow non-sequentially (one word might lead via hyperlink to an entire new piece of reading). |
|
Reading is focused on one page at a time — choice of the reader is limited. |
Reading can be interactive (reader response possibilities, potentially limitless decisions about where to go with the text, etc.). |
Given that we are reading more online, we need to find ways to process the information we are finding, and how to find it with more precision and understanding. Here are few ideas that might be helpful. Colorado State University offers a useful guide to reading on the web. The following list includes some of the CSU strategies to strengthen reading comprehension:
- Synthesize online reading into meaningful chunks of information. Use summarizing and reviewing techniques to put a text’s ideas into your own words.
- Scan a page, as opposed to reading every word. Using your eye to sift through key words and phrases allows you to focus on what is important.
- Avoid distractions as much as necessary. Readability is one tool that can make this possible. Advertising-blocking tools are another effective way to reduce unnecessary, and unwanted, content from a web page.
- Understand the value of a hyperlink before you click the link. This means reading the destination of the link itself. It is easier if the creator of the page puts the hyperlink into context, but if that is not the case, then you have to make a judgment about the value, safety, and validity of the link.
-
CC LICENSED CONTENT, ORIGINAL Introduction. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY: Attribution CC LICENSED CONTENT, SHARED PREVIOUSLY Strategies for Online Reading Comprehension. Authored by: Kevin Hodgson. Located at: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/6958. License: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
Built-In Practice: Reading Online
Choose an online article from The Conversation online magazine: https://theconversation.com/us
- How might you evaluate the information in the article that you’re going to read?
- What hyperlinks, images, audio, and video are part of the article?
- As you start reading, what hyperlinks or video might take you to another article entirely?
- How do you interact with the reading, such as click on a video or an image or listen to audio?
- How could you summarize this article or break it into chunks?
- Can you block any of the advertisements?
- What decisions might you make before clicking on a hyperlink and heading over to another article or video?