3 powerful steps to retain more when reading academic texts

When it comes to reading textbooks or other academic materials, passive reading often leads to surface-level understanding and poor retention.

To truly grasp and remember what you’re studying, you need to engage actively with the text.

This involves marking, underlining, and taking notes in a way that reinforces comprehension and enables you to efficiently review the material later.

In this guide, we’ll explore effective strategies for reading texts, marking important ideas, and taking meaningful notes that enhance learning and retention.

Why active reading matters

Active reading is more than highlighting random sentences or writing down everything you see.

It’s about interacting with the material to deepen your understanding.

Studies show that actively engaging with texts — through annotation, paraphrasing, and summarizing — improves both short-term and long-term retention of information.

Specifically, according to a study published in the International Journal of Learning Teaching and Educational Research, students who actively engaged with material while reading retained more information than those who passively read through a text.

This shows that if you read actively and take notes, you better chance to transform the material from something abstract into a more manageable, memorable form.

Why?

Simply because this process forces you to think critically, reflect on the content, and make connections with other knowledge, all of which are key to long-term learning.

Step 1: Marking and underlining texts

Marking and underlining sections of your text is a practical way to engage with the material.

However, to do this effectively, you need to follow a structured system rather than simply highlighting every line.

Over-highlighting is a common pitfall that reduces the effectiveness of active reading, as it makes reviewing more difficult.

Here’s a step-by-step approach to marking and underlining texts effectively:

1) Read first without marking

Before you make any marks or underlines, start by reading a manageable section of the text (one that is neither too long nor too short) without making any annotations.

This gives you an overview of the material and allows you to process the information as a whole before breaking it down into its components.

2) Review and mark the key ideas

Once you’ve read through the section, go back and review it to identify the main points. Use the following strategies:

• Number sequential or important ideas in the margins. This will help you see the logical flow of the text, which is especially useful when reviewing complex arguments or step-by-step processes.
• Underline or highlight the main subjects and key points. Focus on the core ideas the author is trying to convey. Avoid the temptation to highlight entire paragraphs; instead, focus on individual sentences or phrases that encapsulate key concepts.
• Highlight examples that help clarify or illustrate these main ideas. This makes it easier to connect theory with practice when you review the text later.
• Underline unfamiliar vocabulary and key definitions. Mastering terminology is crucial for understanding the subject matter, especially in academic texts.

3) Annotate with paraphrases, questions, and summaries

In the margins or in any available space, jot down:

• Paraphrases of key ideas. Rewriting the information in your own words ensures that you fully understand the material.
• Questions that arise while reading. These can help guide further study or class discussions.
• Brief summaries of the section. This helps you condense the material and identify the most important aspects of the reading.

The thing is that by marking the text in these ways, you create a personalized study tool that you can easily review.

4) Develop a system to coordinate different sources

In academic learning, you often have multiple resources at your disposal, such as workbooks, lecture notes, online materials, or videos.

To stay organized and integrate these various sources of information, create a system that links your textbook markings with other materials:

• Use symbols or color coding to tie together information from different sources.
• Write cross-references in your notes (e.g., linking a lecture point to a page in your textbook).
• Keep all your resources in one place—either digitally or in a single notebook—to streamline your study process.

Step 2: Taking effective notes from texts

Marking your text isn’t the only thing that helps you read actively.

In addition, taking notes is an essential part of active reading, but there’s an art to it.

Taking notes as you read for the first time can lead to copying too much information without truly understanding it. To avoid this, follow a structured approach:

1) Read the section without taking notes

When reading a section of your textbook or assigned material for the first time, focus solely on understanding the material.

Resist the urge to jot down notes immediately.

The reason is that reading without note-taking allows you to see the bigger picture and ensures that you don’t get bogged down in details too early.

2) Review and identify key points

Once you’ve read the material, go back and locate the main ideas and important sub-points.

At this stage, you should be able to differentiate between essential concepts and supporting details. Set the book aside and mentally review what you’ve just read.

3) Paraphrase before taking notes

Before writing your notes, paraphrase the key points. Putting the information in your own words not only forces you to engage with the material but also reinforces your understanding.

This active process is proven to improve retention because it transforms the knowledge into something you’ve processed rather than simply memorized.

Still, there’s something you shouldn’t overlook:

When paraphrasing, avoid copying sentences directly from the textbook. Instead, distill the essence of the material and write it down in a way that makes sense to you.

4) Write concise, organized notes

After paraphrasing, begin writing your notes. Focus on capturing the main ideas and key details, but keep your notes concise.

After all, you’re not trying to rewrite the textbook, right? You’re just creating a record that allows you to review the material efficiently.

Here’s how to make your notes more effective:

• Use bullet points to list key points for easy readability.
• Include only the details necessary to understand the concept, avoiding excessive information.
• Incorporate diagrams, charts, or flowcharts if applicable. These visual aids help with comprehension and make reviewing faster.

Effective notes are concise, structured, and personalized, making them a powerful tool for both initial learning and review sessions.

Step 3: Reviewing and reinforcing the material

Once you’ve marked, paraphrased, and taken notes, it’s important to reinforce what you’ve learned.

Active recall and spaced repetition are proven methods for improving memory retention.

• Review your notes periodically: Don’t just look at them once. Revisit your notes regularly—after class, before a quiz, or at the end of the week.
• Test yourself: Go back to the questions you wrote in the margins or create new ones based on your notes. Testing yourself on the material can help strengthen your understanding and identify areas that need further review.
• Connect ideas: Try to relate the material to other subjects or previous knowledge. The more connections you make, the easier it will be to recall the information when needed.

Conclusion: Why active reading and note-taking matter

Effective reading and note-taking strategies are essential to mastering any academic subject.

By following a structured approach you ensure that you are actively engaging with the material rather than passively absorbing information.

Studies have consistently shown that students who actively engage with their reading materials and notes tend to perform better in exams and retain information longer.

Thus, incorporating these strategies into your daily study routine not only improves comprehension but also enhances retention, setting you up for academic success.

So the next time you sit down with a textbook, remember: active reading and effective note-taking are your keys to mastering any subject.