Take Notes

• Take notes while you read. This way you can have a summary to review when you're finished reading that can refresh your memory on the material that you just read. Writing notes down will also force your brain to better comprehend the material, since you will be spending more time thinking about it.
  
  

Ask Questions

• Ask yourself questions while you're reading. If you're actively engaged in the material, you're more likely to comprehend it. After every paragraph, page or chapter, stop for a couple of minutes to reflect on what you just read and come up with a question or two about the content. See if you can answer your question later on in your reading.
  
  

Read Out Loud

• Read out loud, if you're at home or in another area where this won't bother anyone around you. This will help you to read the material slower, allowing you more time to comprehend it.
  
  

Discuss the Material

• Talk to others about the material that you're reading. For example, if you read a chapter in an accounting book for a class assignment, talk to one of your classmates about it. Discussing the content with another person will help you to absorb it better.
  
  

Reread the Content

• Stop and reread a paragraph, a page or an entire chapter if you don't understand what you've just read. Taking a look at the material again can help you to better comprehend it. Don't hesitate to read it as many times as you need to until you understand it.
  
  

Read Supporting Information

• Read any supporting information on the page, such as captions under images, graphs and supplemental short stories on the page. This additional material is there to help you to gain a better understanding of the content in the book. If you take the time to review it, this should help you to better comprehend the author's message.