I'm getting back into the rhythm of reading more consistently. I generally read for about 30-40 minutes in bed right before sleeping on my e-reader, regardless of fiction/non-fiction.
This made me think, for people who prefer physical books, do you underline, highlight, take notes in the margins, etc. when reading theory?
Back when I did have a few physical books I never wrote anything in them, I guess to keep them in "good" condition. Even in school books I only answered exercises in pencil, lol.
So I'm wondering: what approach do you have for reading theory?
- Is it more like reading and absorbing the information more passively, where you read in bed, at a park, while commuting, etc.?
- Or do you treat it more like studying where you're sitting at a desk or at a library, pen in hand with notes and such?
I'd love to hear your thoughts/approaches/advice regarding this.
I try to summarize the key points in a notes app in my phone.
That's interesting. Do you write them as-you-go or when you're done reading? Do you ever go back to them when you're done with a book or are they more for picking up where you left off?
When I'm on my A-game? As I go, a sentence per 2 or 3 paragraphs on average. Right now? A short sentence the day after, too tired to keep up and mostly reading to keep up the habit until my schedule lightens up. I do go back, but it's mostly to force me to engage with the text and retain info, rather than just try to absorb it. I get a lot more out of the text that way.
Thanks for the info! I feel that I already read a bit on the slower side, so 2-3 paragraphs for notes would be a bit much for me. I think I could try a short sentence or bullet points after each chapter or section depending on the book.
The one issue with this is that I absolutely loathe writing on phone keyboards, lol. Don't like writing with a pen either, but it's the lesser of two evils for me in this case. Maybe I could get a small notepad specifically for this and keep it on my nightstand.
The phone notes are a necessary evil, haha. Can't read my own handwriting. I don't think you should just copy my style, find what works best for you! Anything to keep you more engaged with the text.
This is what I do, too. I highlight things in the text, then review it and condense it into notes. It's how I've always studied.
P.s. I'm reading through your introductory ML reading list. I hated the economics section but everything else is great so far!
Thanks so much! Do you have anything you would suggest for the economics section instead? Was it at least helpful?
I think I just have a personal problem with Marx's writing style lol, so nothing to suggest. But thanks again for putting together the guide. I was just sort of aimlessly reading through Lenin and Stalin on my own, so I'm really benefiting from having a structured reading list. I really liked G. Politzer’s Elementary Principles of Philosophy!
Great, thanks for your feedback!