Textbooks in the major disciplines—areas of academic study—are different in their organizations and styles of writing. Some may be easier to understand than others, but don’t give up if the reading level is challenging.

Math and science texts are filled with graphs and figures that you will need to understand in order to grasp the content and the classroom presentations. They are also likely to have less text and more practice exercises than other textbooks do. If you have trouble reading and understanding any of your textbooks, get help from your instructor or your college’s academic learning center.

Textbooks must try to cover a lot of material in a limited space, and they won’t necessarily provide all the things you want to know about a topic. If you find yourself interested in a particular topic, go to the primary sources—the original research or documents on a topic. You’ll find those referenced in almost all textbooks, either at the end of the chapters or in the back of the book.

You might also go to other related sources that make the text more interesting and easier to understand. Your instructors might use the textbook only to supplement the lectures. Some instructors expect you to read the textbook carefully while others are much more concerned that you can understand broad concepts that come primarily from lectures. Ask your instructors what the tests will cover and what types of questions will be used.

Finally, not all textbooks are written in the same way. Some are better designed and written than others. If your textbook seems disorganized or hard to understand, let your instructor know your opinion. Other students likely feel the same way. Your instructor might spend some class time explaining the text, and he or she can meet with you during office hours to help you with the material.