What is active reading?

Active reading is a process in which a person engages intellectually with the text he is reading. It requires focusing on material by highlighting significant passages, making notes in the margins and regularly asking questions related to the text.

Individuals can test their reading comprehension by summarizing what they have read every 30 minutes. They can also relate the text to someone else.

A person must use critical thinking skills to evaluate material. Critical reading involves understanding the intellectual arguments used by an author to support his beliefs. It also requires consideration of when the text was written and how the author was affected by the events of his time.