Reading for pleasure or as a way to relax, like when reading a novel, newspaper or magazine is usually a ‘passive’ exercise. When you are studying reading should been seen as an ‘active’ exercise, in other words you engage with your reading to maximise your learning. One of the most effective ways of actively engaging with your reading is to make notes as you go along – linking points, pulling out key snippets of information etc. By writing notes, in your own words, you will be forced to think about the ideas that are presented in the text and how you can explain them coherently. The process of note-taking will, therefore, help you retain, analyse and ultimately remember and learn what you have read.
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