2 Tips on How to Read and Retain Complex Content

Most of us get this.

It’s been a long time since you had to commit to reading a book for anything other than pleasure. Whether you are an avid non-fiction book reader, or a lover of long form magazine articles that delve into complex topics such as law, medicine, science – certain folks enjoy reading for the love of it.

Then there are times when there is “required” reading. Maybe for a certification you wish to obtain, or a new role that you acquired at work that will require you to brush up on long-forgotten skills.

There are two methods that are helpful, although one is more labor-intensive, it also may be the most beneficial is assisting in retention and really getting to know the material.

The first one is simply obtaining a digital copy of the written media – and using a program that allows for dictation (such as the Read Aloud extension on Google). This method allows you to cement what you read with what you hear.

The second method is personal dictation. Use a program like Audacity (which is Open Source - I have also used my Voice Recorder on my phone), take the textbook, and read the content aloud to yourself. In essence, you become the Actor in the Audiobook. The reason this works, is because you are combining two different methods of learning – see/speak, then when you play it back to yourself – it becomes a read-along see/hear. It also forces you to slow down, because somehow, as you are speaking, you become careful not to rush and mispronounce words, or as many do, fully skip certain sections entirely. The more you actively read, the more you retain.

Now, neither of these methods are what you would call, “quick”. It takes time to vocalize the written word, and there will be times in which you desperately want to finish the chapter so urgently, you become exasperated and lose your breath in trying to speak too briskly.

I have personally used this method – and have found that most times, the hours I have spent in procrastinating are not nearly as many as the ones I spend in just reading the information. It has proven fruitful for me, and hope that this method will pay dividends for you.