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Five Tips for Remembering What You Read
September 11th, 2007 by StephenPosted in Books, GTD, Stephenotes |
Welcome back! It's good to see you again. Please note that I am now publishing all new material at my hub site: In Context Blog
I love books. I have a home library of nearly 1,000 volumes! Do I remember every one of these books, what they were about, important details? Of course not, many of them are just paperback science-fiction novels or the true-crime tales my wife prefers.
There are times, however, that you do want to remember what you have read. Whether it is studying for a class or just learning for your own enjoyment, you may want to make an effort to really remember what you are reading.
- Use a highlighter - Do not be afraid to get out a highlighter and mark the important passages, or quotes of particular interest.
- Write in the margins - If you have a thought, a question, or an inspiration while you are reading, write it down. Preferably in the margin, right at the point that grabbed you. Keep a notepad handy while you are reading, and log any thoughts there as well. Include the date and time, page number, and why the passage had an impact.
- Read between the lines - Be an active reader, ask yourself questions such as: What is the author really trying to say? How can I apply this to my own situation? Be especially alert for quotations that an author uses, and consider digging deeper into that source for a greater understanding of the context.
- Take time to ponder - Think about what you are reading. Pause after each chapter in order to collect your thoughts. In order to master the material it is a good practice to think about where the author is taking you next, in order to be sure you have fully understood the information already covered.
- Share what you learn - Speak to a friend or co-worker about what you have read. Sharing or teaching what you have learned is a powerful method of retaining the knowledge.
What are you reading right now? Please share with us in the Comments, I would love to know what books you might recommend.
UPDATE: I was ‘Stumbling’ this morning and found that Donald Latumahina at Life Optimizer has a much more detailed methodology of mining your (non-fiction) books, not just reading them. Check it out:
How do you know that you get the most out of a book? You get the most out of a book when it significantly improves your life to the greatest possible extent. Because of that, an important goal of reading books is getting actionable ideas. To get the most out of the books, you should then put those actionable ideas into action.
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August 28th, 2007 at 3:34 am
I’m one of those guys that doesn’t like scribbling all over his books. I read and reread but never write in the margin or highlight or whatever. I make notes and mindmaps however. Tip: create a mindmap for each chapter and keep it in the book at the corresponding chapter. Create a master mindmap of the entire book and keep it in the front of the book!
August 28th, 2007 at 5:25 am
Great tip! I do not mind map as much as I should, generally just for “formal”, big-picture thinking.
August 28th, 2007 at 5:27 am
I also find it difficult to write or mark books so frequently write notes outside, unfortunately I also have a tendency to lose them. I really like the idea of doing mindmaps for books, I think I will give that a go.
August 28th, 2007 at 10:42 am
I have always loved to highlight passages from favorite books or Scriptures from the Bible, as well as making notes in the margins. Re-reading these reminds me of the important items - especially when I re-read the book itself. I usually have several books I read - depending upon my mood and situation. One I can recommend to start each day with is “Daily Reflecitons for Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey. It is subtitled “Living The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Every Day. Short, succinct, and very thought provoking. There’s even enough room to write notes in the margins, if you are so inclined.
September 11th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Thanks for the mention, Stephen! You have interesting ideas here. I especially like “Share what you learn”. I agree that sharing what we learn can greatly improve our ability to retain the knowledge.
September 16th, 2007 at 9:57 am
Thanks for the great tips. You might enjoy this approach as well:
A reading workflow based on Leveen’s “Little Guide”
http://ideamatt.blogspot.com/2007/03/reading-workflow-based-on-leveens.html
September 17th, 2007 at 5:34 am
@Matthew- I have seen that post and I think it is terrific!
October 1st, 2007 at 6:33 am
[…] Five Tips for Remembering What You Read […]
October 4th, 2007 at 1:34 am
[…] of writing notes to myself in the margins of my non-fiction books. I have found that it helps me to remember what I have read, and leaves a “tag” if I need to go back and refer to something later. I also use a […]
August 14th, 2009 at 2:29 am
[…] of writing notes to myself in the margins of my non-fiction books. I have found that it helps me to remember what I have read, and leaves a “tag” if I need to go back and refer to something later. I also use a […]