How to remember what you read

Albert Rutherford about reading and critical thinking, in his excellent book Elements of Critical Thinking:

There are two ways they [critical thinkers] go about taking what they read and increasing the likelihood that they will remember it and be able to access it when they want to: note-taking and summarizing.

(...)

When you actively think about what you read and write down the key points in your own words, you are making your own connections and uncovering your own feelings and thoughts on a topic that you may never have known you had before. Not to mention that you will be much more likely to remember what you read because you are making it your own.

If you read a book and don't take notes, or at least don't make some highlights, chances are you are wasting not only time but a great learning opportunity. According to Rutherford, research shows that "we typically forget ninety-eight percent of what we read even when we read carefully." (p. 170)

We may think that we are the exception to this statistic—most probably, we are not—, or we may devise some method for taking notes.

To take effective notes and make learning your own, don't interrupt your reading. Wait until you reach a natural break in the text, reflect on what you've read and identify the most important and relevant parts. Write them down in your own words.