Note 07 · Reading
Leave a clear place to return
A short closing note can make the next session easier to begin.
End with a useful sentence
Before closing the source, write what you learned in one or two sentences. Include the question it addressed and the passage that mattered most. This is a summary for a future reading session, so choose wording that will make sense without remembering the whole afternoon.
Choose the next action
If work remains, name one small action: compare a definition, follow a reference or reread a section. Give its location and purpose. A note that says continue reading leaves the next reader to reconstruct the decision. A specific action reduces that effort while leaving room to change direction.
Revisit when there is a reason
Return to a note when a new question, related source or practical need gives it a use. You do not have to review every item on a rigid schedule. On returning, check whether the original question still matters and whether the reference still leads to the intended passage. Update only what the new reading changes.