Review source highlights: Highlights of Jeffrey Kaplan - Lecture #9: How to Read So That You Retain Information

📝 Key Ideas

Step 1) Read the first paragraph of the reading.

Step 2) In the margin summarize that whole paragraph in 1 sentence.

Step 3) Read the 2nd Paragraph and write a 1 sentence summary of the 2nd paragraph you read.

Step 4) After reading the 3rd paragraph where two sentences are written in the margins

1. The first paragraph: a sentence connecting ideas and summaries leading up to the current point (summaries of paragraph 1 & 2)
2. The Second paragraph: a sentence about the 3rd paragraph you’ve just read.

Step 5) Iterate “Step 4” for each sequential paragraph then on after until end of chapter or logical idea/topic section

Cite

Extra important tip: If you can read more then a single paragraph before summarizing then you will use your higher order learning more and make more connections between the information which helps encoding in the long term. (Blooms taxonomy) This has to do with cognitive load. That is because if you offload the information you are retaining for only one paragraph you are only slightly actively learning. You could be actively learning more by waiting before you summarize a little bit more each time. I used to do the one paragraph thing but was annoyed I had to stop so many times. I then started to read a full page before summarizing. After getting used to this I started reading a couple of pages.

There is a sweet spot though. Summarizing too early can be less effective but summarizing too late can overwhelm you. So you have to be honest with yourself when it is the right time to offload the information from your brain onto the paper or mindmap. (There is a sweet spot though)

• Comment made by @Vorrum to @romniyepez5206

📝 Marginalia / Reflection on comment made by @Vorrum to @romniyepez5206

If you highlight everything - you’ve effectively highlighted nothing.

The divide between “Didactic” vs. “Pedantic” the goal isn’t to over analyize every paragraph, you’ll take forever doing that for any and all books you’re trying to work though.

As you read you’ll naturally get the feel of key and important ideas, abstracts, and points. When high value infromation is presented - take the time to summarize and engage with the material.