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Strategy: Notetaking & Reading

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Strategy: Note Taking & Reading

Critical and active reading practices are a core component of research and learning. This guide offers a few strategies and tips for note taking and reading that may help! 

 

Reading Strategies

Preview & Skim

  • ​​Look for structural cues: headings, sub-headings, figures or images

  • Look for context: where, when, who created the text

  • Attempt to infer author's purpose and audience

Read Actively

  • Annotate the text with your questions
  • Relate text to your own beliefs and experiences
  • Identify new terms, concepts or sources to explore
  • Note key points or conclusions

Outline & Summarize

  • Outline to see structure & flow of the text
  • Summarize to check your understanding
  • State main points and thesis for quick review

Question & Wonder

  • How does the work contribute to your inquiry?
  • How might the source help: as evidence, background, argument?
  • What does the author ask you to accept or believe?
  • What evidence or persuasion does the author supply (fact, opinion, assumption)?
  • How does the text relate to other readings (contradict, support, extend)?

Reread & Reflect