Note 06 · Reading
Give each annotation a job
A few specific marks can be more useful than a page covered in highlights.
Name the reason for the mark
Pair a highlight with a short label such as definition, example, objection or question. The label explains what you noticed. A highlighted sentence without a reason may look familiar later while leaving you unsure why you saved it. The smallest useful annotation usually combines a location with an intention.
Separate the author's words from yours
Keep copied wording visibly separate from a paraphrase or reaction. A margin question is part of your reading, while an underlined phrase belongs to the source. That distinction matters when you turn annotations into a note that another reader may see, or when you return after the wording is no longer fresh.
Choose what deserves a note
At the end of a section, select the marks that changed your understanding or remain unresolved. Move only those into a longer record. Most annotations can stay attached to their source. The transfer is useful when it adds an explanation, a connection or a next step beyond the highlighted passage.