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AVID Critical Reading

QUICK REFERENCE 7.1

Writing in the Margins: Six Strategies at a Glance

This table provides six strategies that help readers understand texts. While making connections, clarifying

information, or doing other work defined on this page, write down your thoughts in the margins of the text,

on sticky notes, or in your Cornell notes.

Visualize

Visualize what the author is saying and draw

• What visual and/or symbol best represents

this idea?

Summarize

Briefly summarize paragraphs or sections of a

• account for key terms and/or ideas

Clarify

Clarify complex ideas presented in the text.

Readers clarify ideas through a process of

analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Pausing to

clarify ideas will increase your understanding

of the ideas in the text.

In order to clarify information, you might:

• define key terms

Connect

Make connections within the reading to your

own life and to the world. Making connections

will improve your comprehension of the text.

the text?

• How does this relate to the world?

Respond

Respond to ideas in the text as you read. Your

responses can be personal or analytical in nature.

Thoughtful responses will increase engagement

and comprehension.

Readers will often respond to:

• interesting ideas

• emotional arguments

Question

Question both the ideas in the text and your

own understanding of the text. Asking good

questions while reading will help you become

a more critical reader.

While reading, you might ask:

• What is the author saying here?

• What is the author doing?