There's no "right" way to read a history textbook. Here are some suggestions that have proved helpful to both college and AP history students.

1. Read each assignment twice. The first time through, your goal is to get an overall view of the time period covered. The second reading is for taking notes. With the section titles as a guide, write down key points and significant concepts. You want to pay close attention when the authors discuss the causes or consequences of events, summarize the character of a period, point out different interpretations, or make comparisons between one era and another. Study any maps, statistical tables, or other illustrations during the second reading.

2. The purpose of note taking is to make it easier to review what you've read and to help retain factual information. You gain nothing if you have 20 pages of notes on a 23-page chapter. Also, make sure your notes are well organized and clear. Notes are useless if you can't read them. It's a good idea to type up your notes on each chapter.

3. Reread the assignments before a test to reinforce your understanding of the subject matter.

4. Many college textbooks have accompanying workbooks or student manuals. These contain suggested activities for study purposes, such as true-false questions, fill-ins, identifications, chronological arrangement, and sample essays. If your teacher isn't making assignments out of a workbook, it may be helpful to use one on your own. Look in the textbook section of your local college bookstore; remember that the workbook you find may not be written for the book you're reading for your AP class.