Taking Notes When Reading

 

Taking good notes while reading is an important part of academic success in college.
Most courses require significant reading, and it can be difficult to understand and master the material and do well in class without solid note taking and reading skills.
Good notes from your reading can help you:

• organize your ideas and information from the text
• keep focused and stay engaged while reading
• keep a record of what you read so you can more easily locate it in the future
• think critically about what you read while you read
• draw conclusions and identify main ideas of the text
• be prepared for class and build a foundation for lecture
• have solid materials to use to study for exams or prepare for assignments

How to take good notes while reading
Good notes can take different forms and may vary from person to person—or even from text to text. One of the key ideas of good note taking is that it is not necessary to copy down loads of information from the text. Copying down information does not engage your brain and is not a strong strategy for learning and remembering content. It also takes a lot of time and energy. In contrast, simply highlighting loads of information is simpler but does not actively engage the brain. Instead of copying down tons of notes or over-highlighting, try some of the active and effective strategies and formats listed below. These will help you decrease the amount of time and energy you spend on notes and increase your comprehension and retention from reading.

 

Topic: Management Tips