Why Reading: College-Level Reading Skills and Cognitive Development

Overview and College-Level Reading Objectives

  • Estimated Completion Time:

    • The estimated completion time for this topic is 9 minutes.

  • Transition to Higher Education Reading:

    • Reading is often perceived as a fundamental skill that individuals believe they already fully understand.

    • College demands that students actively hone their existing reading skills to ensure long-term academic success.

    • Navigating college requires understanding how academic reading fundamentally differs from prior reading experiences and learning how to successfully adapt to these heightened demands.

  • Navigating the Modern Information Landscape:

    • Reading and consuming information have become increasingly vital due to the sheer volume of information encountered daily.

    • Modern readers must read both critically and carefully.

    • Essential critical reading priorities include:

    • Distinguishing verified facts from personal opinions.

    • Accurately identifying solid, reputable sources.

    • Reading serves as a cognitive tool to make sense of the world, encompassing a wide spectrum of texts ranging from everyday tasks (such as simple reminders to pick up milk) to complex, in-depth treatises addressing global concerns.

The Cognitive and Neurological Impact of Reading

  • Brain Expansion and Comprehension:

    • Reading to comprehend actively stimulates and expands the human brain.

  • Emory University Neuroimaging Study:

    • Institution and Location: A notable study was conducted at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

    • Methodology: Researchers utilized Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans to track and evaluate brain connectivity in participants while they were reading.

    • Key Findings:

    • Researchers assert that reading causes a literal biological change in the brain.

    • This neurobiological change does not disappear immediately upon finishing a text; rather, it lingers over time.

    • Publication and Access:

    • The study was published in the academic journal Brain Connectivity.

    • The study is accessible online at https://openstax.org/V/brainconnectivity.

Academic Skill Sets and Deliberate Practice

  • Synergy Between Reading and Note-Taking:

    • Working deliberately to become a stronger reader directly pairs with becoming an effective notetaker.

    • Strengthening these two skills provides dual benefits: it directly resolves current academic challenges while simultaneously building capabilities required for future professional and personal success.

  • Leveraging Academic Resources:

    • Students must take active advantage of all available study aids across multiple categories:

    • Human Resources: Instructors, tutors, peers, and academic advisors.

    • Electronic Resources: Digital databases, software, e-books, and online reference platforms.

    • Physical Resources: Print books, libraries, physical study spaces, and written notes.

    • Utilizing all available aids serves to optimize overall performance in foundational academic skill sets.

Educational Research on Reading Volume and Literacy

  • Critical Thinking Development:

    • Consistent reading directly sharpens thinking processes.

    • Reading builds the capacity to draw connections between disparate concepts and information, which is a core element of critical thinking.

  • Research by Anne Cunningham and Keith Stanovich:

    • Educational researchers Anne Cunningham and Keith Stanovich conducted extensive empirical research focused on college students.

    • Core Finding: Their research revealed that "reading volume [how much you read] made a significant contribution to multiple measures of vocabulary, general knowledge, spelling, and verbal fluency."

    • Multi-Faceted Literacy Gains:

    • Beyond acquiring domain-specific knowledge about the direct topic being read, reading volume directly enhances overall vocabulary acquisition, spelling competence, and broader reading mechanics.

  • Reading as a Core Predictor of Lifelong Success:

    • Ongoing educational research confirms that reading remains one of the most critical learning skills required for success across any professional or academic field.

    • Even if an individual has performed the act of reading for decades, practicing the skill with higher consistency and learning to execute it more effectively determines mastery and performance across all subjects.

    • Mindset and Commitment:

    • If reading is not an individual's natural preference ("not your thing"), it must be treated as an intentional personal challenge.

    • Developing this skill directly enriches an individual's academic journey, personal well-being, and future professional endeavors.

    • The long-term compounding rewards of mastering reading far exceed the initial effort and energy invested.

The Nature and Types of Reading: Key Inquiries

  • Core Critical Questions to Consider:

    • What are the specific advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons) associated with online reading?

    • How does learning to distinguish between different types of reading provide academic and personal benefits?

Source Material and Licensing

  • Source Adaptations:

    • Content adapted from the following educational works:

    • College Success (2010 edition)

    • College Success (2020 edition)

    • Learning to Learn Online

  • Creative Commons Licensing:

    • The referenced works are produced and distributed under the following respective Creative Commons licenses (in order):

    • Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA)

    • Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

    • Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)