Reading and notemaking

Reading effectively and efficiently can help you make meaning from the information provided in your course. Explore the following strategies to improve your reading practices and become more successful in your studies.

Reading is not simply a task to complete, but a process that is vital to your learning. Note making helps you make meaning from what you’re reading.

Wes Howard, Language and Learning Adviser

Strategies to develop good reading practices

Here are some proven ways to manage your workload and get the most out of your reading.

Set clear goals

Why are you reading? Is it to prepare for a seminar, gain context for a lecture or find resources for an assessment? Before you read, think about what it is you want to achieve e.g. If this is an essential text for your unit, you may want to give it more attention and bring some questions to discuss in your seminar.
Setting a clear purpose will help you pay attention to the most relevant information and make better use of your reading time.Preview before reading

Preview before reading

Previewing a text before reading helps you get an overview of the material, provides context and allows for more focused and effective reading.
Browse the abstract to gain an overview (but do not cite the abstract itself – you need to read and cite the actual text).
Be aware that generated summaries of texts may not always be accurate. When exploring a topic using generative AI, take the time to craft a prompt that is relevant to your topic and purpose. Never cite a generated summary. You need to read and cite the original text.
In addition to reading the abstract, skim through headings, subheadings, charts and figures to get an overview. Quickly browsing the findings or conclusion can also be useful prior to a full reading.

Read actively

Reading should be an active process and making notes is an important part of this.
Highlight important points, make notes in the margins or PDF comments, and always summarise sections in your own words.
Ask questions as you make notes, even if you can’t answer them immediately. This will deepen your comprehension and retention, and help you find answers later.
Bring questions to discuss in your seminars and other classes.
Using generative AI tools to summarise a reading may have some useful applications but remember that reading and making notes are often an essential part of the learning process. Ask yourself: What am I missing out on by not reading the text and making my own notes?

Write summaries and record bibliographic details

Your summary doesn’t have to be extensive. It could be just a few dot points to help you remember the key ideas that relate to your task.
Compiling your reference list as you make notes will help you keep track of your sources. And this will be a big time-saver when you are ready to submit.

Reading techniques

Experiment with different reading techniques to find the strategy that best works for you.

SQ3R Method

This 5-step process can help you stay on track if you are easily distracted and need a systematic approach.

Survey: Skim the text to get an overview.
Question: Pose questions about what you want to learn.
Read: Read thoroughly to find answers.
Recite: Summarise or explain the material to yourself (or others).
Review: Go over your notes and summaries to reinforce learning.

This method improves comprehension and retention by creating context for each step, making for an efficient and structured read.

Annotate and summarise

Underline or highlight key points.
Add notes (annotations) to help you remember why you highlighted the point, e.g. This is similar point to Goldberg (2021, p. 6).
Summarise your annotations to consolidate information and help you to review your notes later.
You can summarise in different ways:
- Condense the main ideas as briefly as possible, e.g. dot points
- Use talk-to-text to record yourself summarising or reflecting on a reading. Review the transcript and highlight or rewrite the key points
- Create flashcards to aid in recalling important terms, definitions, or concepts.
- Create a concept map that includes key points and use arrows to show how they relate to each other, and to the context of your topic/assessment.

The Pomodoro technique for focused reading

This is a great method for procrastinators! You can use this with whatever style of note making works best for you.

Set a timer and commit to 25 minutes of focused reading followed by a 5-minute break.
At each break, pause and jot down key ideas.
After completing several cycles, or after reaching a natural point in your reading (such as the end of a section or chapter) review your notes and write a summary.

Learn more about the Pomodoro technique and other strategies for managing your workload.

Exploring digital tools

New technologies to assist with reading and note making are being developed all the time. Experiment using different digital note-making tools, but always use the tools critically and in a way that benefits your learning (not just the completion of a task). Ask your teachers and classmates about the tools they use.

Consider using a combination of written, audio, text and visual tools to help you make notes and make meaning – what works best for you? The “text to talk” or “read aloud” features are a great option if you find it easier to listen.
Many e-readers, document readers and other reading apps have built-in tools for highlighting, annotating, and searching text.
Referencing management software is usually best for large volumes of research, such as when you are undertaking a thesis.
Keep in mind when using tools that generate references that you will still need to double-check these for accuracy and that they conform to the Deakin Guide to Referencing.