How to Effectively Take Notes While Reading

With digital reading options on the rise, students benefit by taking handwritten notes, according to recent studies. A simple method of previewing, reading actively and reviewing the material - coupled with writing questions and main points - engages the reader and increases what is remembered. When reading actual printed materials, writing on the publication is recommended, but when that’s not an option, a notebook can serve the same purpose.
Here's how the note-taking system works:
1. Preview: With long reading assignments, divide the reading into 10-page chunks for more effective time management and retention. Read the section titles, or first lines of the paragraphs, and then read the last paragraph. That exercise provides an advance perspective of what the text will cover. Take a quick glance at charts or photos and read study questions at the end of the chunk of pages. Write down the main topic of the section, as well as any questions that can be answered from text.

2. Read Actively: It’s best not to take notes while reading, because that can interrupt the flow of the message. It can also decrease the reader’s comprehension. Sometimes, the main point of a paragraph is not recognized until the entire paragraph is read, so taking notes at the end helps the reader include all of the main elements. Highlight a phrase, or dates, that stand out. A few words are not enough, and entire sentences are too much.

3. Review: When finished reading the ten-page chunk, consider what the section was about. In your own words, write a summary of it. Write down broad connections of the material to things you already knew, or previous readings.  

Other tips include reading aloud when something doesn’t seem logical upon the first read. The extra step of speaking the words can sometimes engage thought processes and help clarify the language.  Writing notes in your own words encourages additional thought about the reading, which also adds to memory retention. The idea of highlighting and handwriting notes is to include enough material to provide a summary of the entire passage, and the through process of doing that is what increases retention.

For more suggestions on note taking, ask your iLearn Academy instructors today.