Did you know that scanning a book can be a good thing?

Don't get me wrong: you should always read your school books carefully and thoroughly. As a matter of fact, you should read every book at least twice. To read effectively, you should scan first, and read a second time for deeper meaning.

I know it seems that this process would eat up a lot more of your study time, to scan a book before reading it - but that's not really true. When you scan a book first, you tend to read more quickly the second time through, because you don't get hung up on new words and concepts.

So how do you scan for best results? You should make note of any headings and subheadings, and get a clear understanding of how the information is organized. You should also write down any new words or new concepts that you encounter, especially if any words are italicized or in bold face.

It's also important to identify the thesis of a book and the nature of the evidence that is presented.

Highlighters can be effective learning tools, or they can be ineffective tools. The trick to making the the most of highlighters is developing a color-coded strategy.

When reading a difficult book or article, you should highlight sparingly. Use one color to highlight main points or important terms.

Use a different highlighter to mark new words that you need to learn. This way, you can easily flip through your book or article and find the new vocabulary words and create flashcards for them.

Are you looking for a free mind-mapping tool? Google offers a great one, but you have to have the Google Chrome browser to use it - but that's a free download, too.

This tool is one of the many apps available on the Chrome Web Store site. It's called Connected Mind, and it's easy and fun to use to draw "unique and memorable mind maps." You can pick shapes and colors to make your mind map as big, colorful, or interesting as you wish. To locate the tool, you should follow these steps:

• Download and install Google Chrome
• Go to Chrome Web Store
• Search for Connected Mind and install

The great part about this is that your work is saved in the cloud, which means you don't have to take up space on your own computer, and you can access your work from anywhere!

Are you concerned about global climate change? Excited about the upcoming election? Angry at the paparazzi for stalking your favorite celebrity?

One way to involve yourself in a community of readers is to write a letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine. You can voice your opinion and gain great writing experience for college at the same time!

It's easy to get started on your letter. First, find a topic that really matters to you. Then select a newspaper or magazine that addresses your topic. Read the instructions for writing to the editor and then get started on your first draft. Once your first letter is published, you'll be hooked!