Suggestions for Reading a Math Book
    (Last modified: Tuesday, January 22, 2008, 10:23 AM )

    Reading technical material does not come easily. It takes practice and dedication to get the most out of it, just as it does to get the most out of James Joyce or Toni Morrison. As time goes on, you should find it getting easier and easier. In the meanwhile, keep these suggestions in your book and re-read them frequently.

    1. Expect reading to take time. You should spend as much time on your reading assignments as you do on your homework. Reading the text well will make class more meaningful and your homework easier. (Reading the text "well" does not mean understanding everything you've read.)
    2. Re-read each section. Math prose is not light reading, and you will need to re-read it to understand it. It's also important to re-read each section after we discuss it in class, as well as before. You'l l find that you reach a much deeper understanding of the material.
    3. Pay attention to graphs and tables. Graphs and tables are part of the reading. Make sure that if the text is referring to a table, you understand where the authors get their results from.
    4. Read with pencil, paper, and calculator. Check all the authors' calculations. If they ask you to do something, do it!!!! If you don't understand how they get from one sentence to the next, they probably left out some details. Try to figure them out! Don't write too much in your book, because it will become cluttered and hard to re-read or study from.
    5. Try reading aloud. Sometimes, a sentence will make no sense to you. Often, you simply need to read it aloud.
    6. Make a list of questions. As you're reading, on a separate sheet of paper, make a list of questions. Then go back and re-read, and try to figure out the answers to your questions.
    7. Reflect. Periodically pause and reflect on what you've read. How does it fit together? How does it tie in with subjects we've discussed in the past? Why is it important?
    Janice Sklensky
    Wheaton College
    Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
    Science Center, Room 109
    Norton, Massachusetts 02766-0930
    TEL (508) 286-3973
    FAX (508) 285-8278
    jsklensk@wheatonma.edu

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