Read With a Purpose
Before you start reading, decide what you are trying to get from the text. Are you looking for an argument, a definition, a timeline, or evidence? Purpose directs attention, and attention is the first step in memory.
Without a question in mind, reading turns passive very quickly. With a question, your brain starts searching for structure and meaning.
Use the SQ3R Framework
Survey
Skim headings, visuals, and summaries before reading deeply.
Question
Turn each heading into a question you want the text to answer.
Read
Read actively for answers instead of drifting through the page.
Recite
Pause and explain the section from memory in your own words.
Review
Return later and test yourself again after a delay.
Annotate Lightly, Not Constantly
Good annotation is selective. Mark key transitions, definitions, claims, or confusing parts — not every sentence. Over-highlighting feels productive but usually reduces attention because everything starts to look equally important.
Summarise From Memory
After a paragraph, page, or section, close the text and write a two-sentence summary in your own words. This forces you to retrieve the main ideas and exposes what you did not actually understand.
Convert Reading Into Questions
The strongest reading strategy is to turn content into questions you can later answer without the text. This is why flashcards, self-quizzes, and cue questions work so well after reading sessions: they turn comprehension into durable memory.