Reading is a highly complex activity that scholars in several fields are working hard to understand. At the risk of oversimplifying, this module discusses three purposes for reading: reading for pleasure; reading for literal understanding; and reading for analysis, interpretation, and application. Then, we connect them to three reading process stages: pre-reading, active reading, and post-reading. We don't mean to suggest these are the only purposes or the only processes. As we know, processes are never so simple as presented, but we believe that helping faculty and students understand these stages will enable students to focus on their reading and use strategies more effectively.
