Highlighting

Here's how:

hardcopy documents: only use this technique on photocopies, not originals (unless you own the book)

skim through the reading to highlight keywords and ideas: avoid highlighting too much, instead think of your highlighter as a summarizing wand :)

use different colours for different sub-topics or relationships

re-read paying attention to the highlighted text and make point-form notes

use highlighters to reduce your own point-form notes even further