1. 側重策略性讀書法，每單元包含策略閱讀技巧與多篇文章，課程設計有讀前、讀中、讀後活動，可訓練學生閱讀邏輯與閱讀技巧掌握，幫助學生輕鬆學會有效率的閱讀，並發展學術論文寫作能力。
2. 重點字彙皆出自Academic Word List (AWL)，旨在幫助學生累積大量學術字彙。
3. 閱讀題材多元豐富，主題涵蓋教育、媒體、全球經濟、人口成長、時尚等各類學術性文章。
Making Connections teaches an extensive range of reading skills and strategies in order to prepare students for college reading. The series takes students from a high-beginner to an advanced level of academic reading skill proficiency. The series contains a strong focus on vocabulary-building, including teaching words from the Academic Word List.
The series has a unique unit structure. At the outset of each unit, students are presented with and practice key reading and vocabulary-building skills. As students read the texts following these sections, they apply these skills by completing exercises in boxes in the margins of the readings, so that students literally have to apply the newly-learned skills 'while reading.'