Get the gist

Read the introduction or first paragraph and the textual conclusion or last paragraph to get a sense of the whole. Then, skim through the text, reading chapter and section titles, headings, first sentences of paragraphs, whatever else is necessary to get the general idea of what the text is saying

Using a pencil or highligher, underline just those ideas that stand out as most important in understanding the basic ideas of the text.  Don't underline too much, or the usefulness of this technique diminishes.

Take notes in the text

Write summaries or reactions and ask questions in the margins. At the end of the text, write a brief (one or two sentence) summary of the entire text. This will help you think about the text as a whole, and it will help you remember what you read when you come back to the text again.

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