What effect does underlining and circling key information have while reading?

Underlining and circling key information while reading primarily improves focus and retention. This technique actively engages the reader, prompting them to identify and emphasize important concepts, terms, or ideas within the text. By visually marking these elements, readers create a roadmap that helps them navigate through the material more effectively.

This active engagement encourages deeper processing of the information, leading to better understanding and memory retention. As the reader encounters the underlined or circled items during review, these cues can stimulate recall, making it easier to retain and retrieve information when needed.

While marking the text may slightly slow down the reading speed initially as one takes the time to identify key points, the overall benefit lies in enhancing comprehension and memory, which outweighs the temporary decrease in pace. Marking does not inherently ensure grammatical awareness or highlight the entire text, as it is specific to significant details rather than a comprehensive overview.