People keep saying “highlight the keywords so the passage sticks.” Reality: underlining often tricks you into feeling done while the main idea still isn’t clear.
Why highlighting is misleading
- Completion illusion: once the page is striped with ink, your brain celebrates—even if comprehension is shallow.
- No link to context: marking a word without grasping how it functions in the sentence doesn’t help you reuse it.
- Zero self-check: few readers stop to ask, “Could I explain this paragraph in my own words?”
What to do instead of only highlighting
- Interrogate the question first. Read it twice, then close your eyes and rephrase it out loud.
- Predict the information type. Is the answer a number, a person, a location? Knowing the category primes your brain to notice it.
- Anchor everything to context. In listening and reading tasks, keywords are usually paraphrased; focus on meaning, not exact wording.
- Retell the passage yourself. If you can’t paraphrase it, you haven’t really understood it yet.
When highlighting still helps
Use it intentionally:
- Flag questions you need to revisit.
- Jot quick reminders of ideas you’ll reuse in writing or speaking.
Think of highlighting as a supporting step. Real progress comes from understanding, summarising, and anticipating the information you need next.