Reading is an active process. As a scholar in training, reading is different than for leisure. You will need to be able discern the argument, argument development and analysis, key conclusions, contributions to the field, and strengths. You will also need to be able to assess any weaknesses beyond “This book is trash” or “This book is not the one that I would have written.” As such, note-taking is essential for your own development but also seminar level discussion of the common assigned book.
Marginalia, highlighting text, and sticky notes have limits for in-class engagement, writing of book reviews or even incorporating into a chapter or historiographical essay. I typically handwrite my notes and then type them. In the process of typing them, I condense and clarify my initial notes. Both versions are placed in the front of the book.
I want to preface these remarks with a few caveats. I developed this method in graduate school and before certain tech/digital tools were widely available. I also worked in my undergraduate library and often had the fun job of erasing marginalia among other repairs to library books. Unless using acid-free instruments, these practices do damage to the books. This labor and reality have discouraged me from writing in my books more broadly. Finally, this process works for me but might not work for you.
Bibliographic Information
Notes
The above parts will be about 1 full page-single space of text. Whether in class or in preparations for comprehensive exams, the one page summary of the book is very helpful. The renaming section will be for general note taking. I note general ways in which the argument is being developed in each chapter. I also note specific quotes or passages for discussion and incorporation. This is also a space for you to talk back the work and consider ways for inclusion in your own work whether a review, thesis/dissertation, article, and/or book manuscript.
Lastly, put a copy of the handwritten notes and/or printed copy of typed notes in the front of the book. This helps when you go back to the work during and after the class. Whenever someone “borrows” a book, I remove my notes.
Happy reading and note-taking!
Marginalia, highlighting text, and sticky notes have limits for in-class engagement, writing of book reviews or even incorporating into a chapter or historiographical essay. I typically handwrite my notes and then type them. In the process of typing them, I condense and clarify my initial notes. Both versions are placed in the front of the book.
I want to preface these remarks with a few caveats. I developed this method in graduate school and before certain tech/digital tools were widely available. I also worked in my undergraduate library and often had the fun job of erasing marginalia among other repairs to library books. Unless using acid-free instruments, these practices do damage to the books. This labor and reality have discouraged me from writing in my books more broadly. Finally, this process works for me but might not work for you.
Bibliographic Information
- The basic information of author, title, publisher, etc. If you use Chicago Manual of Style format, this will make creation of a bibliography or even citation easier.
- This is will blank initially. But, try to incorporate the exact quote of the author’s argument or what you believe that the author’s argument is if not explicitly stated.
- How many chapters? Structure of the book including the number of chapters, sections, epilogue, and occasionally where there are important charts or data that advance the argument.
- For each chapter, you should be able to summarize the chapter in 1-2 sentences. This is only possible once you have read the chapter.
- This section will expand if it is an assigned reading. I always start with my early thoughts of the key strengths are in the work. In a formal discussion, I pay attention to tenor of other possible strengths identified by the professor and peers. You may need to add to this section.
- In addition, discussion is important for identifying other arguments by scholars and books for situating the text in the scholarly field or subfield. You can also think about this part for how you see the work in conversation with your own research and then other texts essential to your own scholarly projects. This is not fixed and will change as you develop as a scholar and per setting of the engagement with the text.
- Likewise, this section will expand if it is an assigned reading and/or will be subject to revision. See advice of the above section.
Notes
The above parts will be about 1 full page-single space of text. Whether in class or in preparations for comprehensive exams, the one page summary of the book is very helpful. The renaming section will be for general note taking. I note general ways in which the argument is being developed in each chapter. I also note specific quotes or passages for discussion and incorporation. This is also a space for you to talk back the work and consider ways for inclusion in your own work whether a review, thesis/dissertation, article, and/or book manuscript.
Lastly, put a copy of the handwritten notes and/or printed copy of typed notes in the front of the book. This helps when you go back to the work during and after the class. Whenever someone “borrows” a book, I remove my notes.
Happy reading and note-taking!