Want To Be a Better Reader? Here’s How To Practise Active Reading
Lead image by Erik Mclean / Pexels
By Joanna Pozzulo
If you’re part of Gen Z, chances are you rely on social media for news and current events. And if you’re under 30, you’re more likely to trust what you see on social media than any other age cohort, according to Pew Research Center data.
However, the reliability of that content varies considerably. Some information domains, such as health, politics and controversial news, can have misinformation rates of 30 to 50 per cent or higher.
A 2024 survey of 500 influencers across 45 countries found that 62 per cent do not carry out rigorous fact-checking before sharing information. Navigating today’s digital information landscape, then, requires strong critical evaluation skills.
Reading plays a central role in this process by serving not only as a means of acquiring information but also of distinguishing credible claims from misinformation. But only a specific kind of reading builds that capacity. The difference is between passive and active reading.
Reading on autopilot
You’re probably spending more time reading passively than you realize — more than 80 per cent skimming or scanning text rather than reading each word. By continuously delivering bite-sized, emotionally stimulating and rapidly changing content, they condition you to skim rather than engage deeply, reinforcing a preference for quick dopamine rewards and making passive scrolling the default.
Do you ever find yourself reading without mentally engaging, questioning or critically evaluating material? If you answered, yes, you may be a passive reader.
Common indicators of passive reading include losing focus mid-page and being unable to recall or explain what was just read, reading while simultaneously doing something else that requires mental effort, skimming content just to get through it rather than searching for key ideas and marking large portions of text without processing or restating the main ideas.
Research finds that passive reading leads to absorbing information without questioning its merits. Over time, that habit compounds. Passive readers become more susceptible to misinformation because they have not practised the mental moves that separate reliable information from unreliable.
Reading with intent
Active reading means engaging deeply with a text. Challenging your assumptions, examining evidence and testing arguments against your own reasoning turns reading into a tool for developing critical thinking as well as gaining information.
Active reading requires evaluating arguments, evidence and perspectives, which can strengthen your ability to judge the credibility of information. By asking questions, taking notes and making connections between ideas, you can improve both comprehension and critical thinking.
Over time, active reading makes you better at identifying weak reasoning and unsupported claims, recognizing bias in both authors and yourself, distinguishing evidence from opinion, and assessing the strength of an argument before accepting it as true.
Changing how you read from passively to actively can sharpen your ability to analyze, question and evaluate ideas, all of which can help identify misinformation.
How to read more actively
The next time you sit down to read, consider adopting a few active-reading habits. Take notes and highlight key words and arguments that stand out. Ask what evidence supports a claim and whether it’s fact or opinion.
Consider the author’s motivations or potential biases. Pause to form your own conclusion before accepting the author’s and revisit key ideas afterward to reflect on their implications.
These practices transform reading from information absorption into intellectual training. The goal is not just to read more but to develop stronger reasoning skills, greater intellectual flexibility and a deeper understanding of the world.
Non-fiction is particularly useful for honing your critical thinking skills. Evidence-based books push you to follow complex arguments and evaluate the evidence offered in support of ideas. They build the habit of breaking down claims into their underlying assumptions, detecting logical inconsistencies and assessing whether conclusions are supported by facts rather than opinion.
Consider also seeking out authors from different ideological, cultural and professional backgrounds. Exposing yourself to diverse interpretations of the same issues expands your thinking and reduces the tendency to seek only information that confirms what you already believe. The more diverse your reading, the more reflective and critical your thinking becomes.
Reading communities can make it easier to sustain these habits and to test your interpretations against those of others. If you’re interested in engaging more critically with evidence-based books focused on personal growth and well-being, my Reading for Well-Being Community Book Club at Carleton University is open to anyone.
When reading is approached actively, you do more than expand your knowledge — you sharpen your skills to evaluate information, challenge assumptions and think independently. In an age of constant information overload, that may be one of the most valuable skills you can develop.
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Joanna Pozzulo is a Chancellor’s Professor and professor of psychology at Carleton University.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. All photos provided by The Conversation from various from various sources.
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