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Student Success

Reading & Note-Taking

Reading 

Reading and taking notes are important parts of learning in college. Developing strategies for staying engaged, identifying what is important, and organizing what you learn can help you get more out of your reading and class time. 

Prepare to Read

Before you start reading, take a few minutes to figure out what you are reading and why. Previewing the material can help you know what to look for and make it easier to stay focused.

  • Look at the title, headings, and subheadings.
  • Read the introduction, summary, or other overview information.
  • Identify unfamiliar terms or concepts.
  • Think about what you already know about the topic.
  • Look at any questions or prompts your professor provided.
  • Set a goal for what you want to understand from the reading.

Stay Focused While Reading 

Reading for a long period of time can make it easy to lose focus. Instead of trying to force yourself to read for hours, try strategies that help you stay engaged with the material.

  • Find a place where you can concentrate and limit distractions.
  • Put your phone away or use a website/app blocker if needed.
  • Break longer readings into smaller sections.
  • Set a specific amount of time to read before taking a break.
  • Take brief notes or write questions as you read.
  • Stop periodically and ask yourself, "What did I just read?"
  • Summarize a section in your own words before moving on.
  • If your attention wanders, take a short break and come back to the reading.

Read Actively

Reading actively means doing something with the material rather than simply moving your eyes across the page. Look for the main ideas, ask questions, make connections, and check your understanding as you go.

  • Identify the main idea or thesis.
  • Mark important information.
  • Write questions in the margins or in your notes.
  • Define unfamiliar terms.
  • Make connections between ideas.
  • Create an outline, diagram, or other visual representation when it helps.
  • Summarize sections in your own words.
  • Write potential exam questions based on the reading.
  • Try explaining what you've learned to someone else.

Try SQ3R 

SQ3R is one approach to active reading: Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review.

Survey: Preview the material and identify the main topics.
Question: Turn headings and topics into questions.
Read: Read actively to answer your questions.
Recite: Stop and explain what you remember without looking back.
Review: Go back over the material and check your understanding.

Reading Resources

Note-Taking

Take Notes That Help You Learn

Good notes don't mean writing down everything you hear or read. Focus on capturing the main ideas, important details, questions, and information you'll need to remember later.

Then:

  • Look for the main ideas.
  • Use your own words whenever possible.
  • Keep notes organized by course.
  • Leave space to add information later.
  • Mark things you don't understand so you can ask questions.
  • Use headings, numbering, indentation, or other methods to organize information.
  • Review your notes after class.
  • Connect information from your notes with your readings and other course materials.

Try a Note-Taking System

There isn't one right way to take notes. Try different approaches and find one that helps you organize information and review it later.

For example, Cornell Notes is a method where you divide your page into a note-taking area, a cue/question column, and a summary section. After class, you use the questions and summary to review what you learned.

Resources