Decide what you are looking for
Before beginning an article or chapter, write a question you want it to help you answer. Your question can change as you read, but having one gives your attention a direction.
Scan the headings and introduction to understand the structure. Then decide which sections deserve close reading and which provide background. Not every source needs to be read at the same speed.
Pause to explain
After a substantial section, close the material and explain its main point in a few sentences. Identify an example and note anything you cannot explain clearly. Return to the text to resolve that gap.
Treat highlighting as a marker for a later action. Add a note about why a passage matters, what it connects to or what you need to verify. A page covered in colour may be harder to revisit than a few purposeful annotations.
Finish with something you can use
Write a short answer to your opening question. If the source did not answer it, record what remains uncertain and where you might look next. Keep the source details with your notes.
A useful reading session can end with a better question. What matters is that you leave with an account of what you understood, rather than only a record of pages you turned.
