How To Take Notes When Reading A Textbook

When you re done the book put it down for a week.

How to take notes when reading a textbook. Understanding the hierarchy of words may allow you to extract 75 percent of a book s content while reading only 25 percent of the text. Go to the questions at the end first. Divide the reading into 10 page chunks. The beginning usually has information that you will need to understand more specific concepts later in the chapter.

A well chosen title will suggest not only the subject matter of the book but also its central argument. Next read the final summary of the chapter. This will sort of prime the engine of retention. Leave extra space so you can write in your notes later.

Have a highlighter in hand a pen or. Wait until it feels right in some cases you might begin after a just few pages. At the end of each chapter write a few bullet points that summarize what you ve read and make it personal if you can that is apply it to something in your life. Read them answer them to the best of your ability and then begin your actual reading strategies.

In the two examples above notice that the headings from the book were used as headings for the notes. Multiply the number of pages you have to read by 5 minutes. Write out a list of questions you need to get an answer from from this chapter. Also note any unanswered questions.

This will give you a general background as to the big ideas in the chapter. Write a summary of the key points from each reading without looking back at the text. If you are taking notes digitally or online try creating a word or google document for each article or textbook chapter you have read. If you are a slower reader you may need to give yourself additional time to read.

Then fill in the details by consulting the reading only after you first have recalled everything you can. Then you ll have the perspective to take notes on the material that s truly useful. Ideally you should give yourself at least 5 minutes per page of assigned textbook reading. If you can only spend 30 minutes of your day reading a portion of the textbook then that is 30 minutes more of the chapter you have read.

Take for example the radicalism of the american revolution. Check any syllabus calendar or notes from class that direct you to read a section or sections from your textbook. Instead of recording notes the moment you begin a source mark the margins underline phrases and then return to take notes after reading the entire article or chapter. The system described below should be done on the 10 page chunk before you move.

The most important words can be the title. Use just the headings and subheadings to create an outline mindmap or cornell notes. That is the amount of time the average college student needs. Know your assigned reading.

Steps for taking notes as you read always start from the beginning start from the beginning of the chapter assigned pages.