6 current textbook chapters — reprinted in their entirety — from popular textbooks for common first-year courses serve as real-world models for the kind of reading students will be expected to do in college.
A common theme — work — links all six chapters, encouraging students to understand varied perspectives, make connections among them, and apply what they learn to their own lives.
Introductions to each chapter acquaint students with the material they're about to read, calling students' attention to specific elements within the chapter to aid in comprehension and drawing connections to chapters in other units.
Comprehension questions following each textbook chapter, ordered from least to most challenging, guide students from basic understanding through analysis and critical response.
A general introduction, "How to Read College Textbooks," walks students through the process of active reading and explains how different features of college textbooks can help them learn more successfully.