Note 02 · Reading
Use a first pass to find the shape
An overview helps you decide where a slower reading will be useful.
Notice the route
On a first pass, look for the problem, the main claim and the sequence of sections. Read the opening and conclusion together, then inspect the headings between them. This gives you a provisional map. It does not establish whether the argument is sound; it shows where you might need to look.
Mark a few stopping places
Choose two or three passages that seem central to your question. Mark a page or heading and a brief reason to return. Avoid highlighting every unfamiliar term. Too many marks make the next pass as difficult to navigate as the first, and a large highlighted area rarely explains why it mattered.
Decide what happens next
After the overview, choose a slower pass, a reference check or a stop. Write a sentence explaining the choice. A source that answers a narrow question may need no further reading today. A difficult source may deserve another session with a smaller goal, rather than an attempt to finish it all at once.