I'm not that great with remembering either. But maybe look at it like this: Do you actually retain more information for longer by taking notes to warrant the effort? I'd hazard a guess, that it doesn't work very well. You'd presumably have to make flashcards and use spaced repetition, which is even more effort, but probably your best bet if you actually want to be able to recall information off the top of your head.
But I don't do this. Instead, I find it enjoyable to talk to a friend about what I read recently if I want to retain it better. Trying to explain something a bit after you've read about it is more engaging than jotting down excerpts or dot points from the text. Hopefully, that's then enough to retain a rudimentary recollection, which you can then use to look up the more complete picture from the book or another source later, if you want it.
Kiebitz_XCIII t1_j5sqzc3 wrote
Reply to How do you read non fiction books? by Retep_Rup
I'm not that great with remembering either. But maybe look at it like this: Do you actually retain more information for longer by taking notes to warrant the effort? I'd hazard a guess, that it doesn't work very well. You'd presumably have to make flashcards and use spaced repetition, which is even more effort, but probably your best bet if you actually want to be able to recall information off the top of your head.
But I don't do this. Instead, I find it enjoyable to talk to a friend about what I read recently if I want to retain it better. Trying to explain something a bit after you've read about it is more engaging than jotting down excerpts or dot points from the text. Hopefully, that's then enough to retain a rudimentary recollection, which you can then use to look up the more complete picture from the book or another source later, if you want it.