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Annotating and taking notes are ways to make reading ACTIVE. They help you make meaning from what you are reading. The best readers actually "talk back to" or interrogate the text they are reading by writing down questions, noticing patterns, and noting their reflections and connections as they read.
Annotating and taking notes are ways to make reading ACTIVE. They help you make meaning from what you are reading. The best readers actually "talk back to" or interrogate the text they are reading by writing down questions, noticing patterns, and noting their reflections and connections as they read.
Knowing your purpose is also important because you will read differently when you are reading a novel for pleasure than you will when you tackle a scholarly article in order to write a research essay.
Knowing your purpose is also important because you will read differently when you are reading a novel for pleasure than you will when you tackle a scholarly article in order to write a research essay.
"Three Ways to Make Learning Stick With Better Notetaking"
"Three Ways to Make Learning Stick With Better Notetaking"
Research-backed strategies include:
Use graphic organizers (see samples below)
Try visual notetaking (see sketchnoting below)
Take notes by hand instead of laptop
How to Read Like a Researcher
How to Read Like a Researcher
Academic articles are dense and difficult. If you try to read them like a novel (from the first word to the last), you will get overwhelmed. Instead, try these three strategies to "hack" the reading process.
1. Don't be a "fact collector"—Be a detective
1. Don't be a "fact collector"—Be a detective
The Mistake: Many students read an article just to find facts, dates, and definitions to copy-paste. This leads to a boring paper that just lists information.
The Strategy: Read for Arguments, not just facts. Imagine the author is a lawyer in a courtroom. Don't just ask what data they have; ask what point they are trying to prove with that data.
How to do it:
Before you take a single note, ask yourself: "What is this author's 'take' on the topic?"
Look for Themes. Does this author focus on Economic issues? Social issues? Political solutions? Grouping authors by theme is the secret to a great Literature Review.
2. Don't read straight through, and don't take notes right away
2. Don't read straight through, and don't take notes right away
The Mistake: Starting at page 1 and plowing through to the end. By page 3, you are likely confused and tired.
The Strategy: Academic articles are not mystery novels—you are allowed to spoil the ending! Read in layers to save brainpower.
How to do it:
Level 1: Read the Abstract (summary), the Introduction, and the Conclusion first. This tells you the main point. Decide now: Is this source actually useful? If not, throw it out.
Level 2: Scan the Headings and Topic Sentences of the paragraphs. Get the flow of the argument.
Level 3: Only "deep read" the specific sections that give you the evidence you need. Only then will you decide what to take notes on.
3. Talk back to the text
3. Talk back to the text
The Mistake: "Painting the page." This is when you highlight whole paragraphs in yellow but your brain shuts off.
The Strategy: Highlighting is passive; Note-taking must be active. You need to have a conversation with the text.
How to do it:
The Rule of Thumb: Never highlight a sentence without writing a note in the margin explaining why you highlighted it.
What to write:
"This author disagrees with Source A!"
"This is a weak argument because..."
"Great quote for my paragraph on Solutions."
Why this helps: When it's time to write your paper, you won't have to re-read the article. Your notes will have already done the thinking for you.
Annotating a physical text (e.g. a novel, textbook, or printout of an article)
Annotating a physical text (e.g. a novel, textbook, or printout of an article)
Develop your own system of icons to help you mark up a page. Look at the ideas on the left for ideas. Use symbols from your classes and abbreviations that make sense to you.
You might underline something of importance and double underline or circle vocabulary words that are important. Use numerals to number when the author makes multiple points.
Once you've read through once, use various color highlighters your next time through to help you connect similar topics.
And write in the margins, noting your thoughts or connections to other texts or links to other pages. Your reflections are how you make meaning from a text.
Image source: https://www.smekenseducation.com/marks-codes-abbreviationsannota/
Annotated scholarly article.pdfHere's a sample of a lightly annotated scholarly article
Here's a sample of a lightly annotated scholarly article
Taking notes from a text or while listening to a speaker
Taking notes from a text or while listening to a speaker
Cornell Notes and Sketchnotes are two popular techniques. This video offers suggestions on how to combine them!
Cornell Notes and Sketchnotes are two popular techniques. This video offers suggestions on how to combine them!
TIP
TIP
If you take notes on your laptop (instead of by hand) don't just copy and paste quotations.
If you take notes on your laptop (instead of by hand) don't just copy and paste quotations.
Instead, summarize or paraphrase the information into your own words. This will help you remember the material better.
Save quoting for when the writer's words are artfully stated or use specific new vocabulary terms.
Graphic Organizers
Graphic Organizers
More note-taking resources...
More note-taking resources...
A great overview of how to read scholarly literature and take notes
A great overview of how to read scholarly literature and take notes
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