"I read business books but can't put them into practice..."
"I finish novels but can't remember the content later..."
"Academic books don't stick, and I keep re-reading the same sections..."
Many of these problems stem from reading in a way that doesn't match the genre.
Business books, fiction, and academic texts each have different purposes, and the optimal reading approach and what to record differs for each. This article explains effective note-taking techniques tailored to each genre's characteristics.
Why Should You Adapt Note-Taking to Each Genre?
The importance of taking reading notes is widely known, but are you using the same method for every genre?
What readers seek differs greatly depending on the book genre.
Reading Purposes by Genre
- Business & Self-Help Books: Gain knowledge and apply it in real life
- Fiction & Literature: Experience stories and gain emotions and insights
- Academic & Technical Books: Understand and retain systematic knowledge
- Practical & How-To Books: Learn specific techniques and methods for practical use
- Study Guides & Workbooks: Develop the ability to score well on exams
When purposes differ, naturally what you should record changes too. By using note-taking methods suited to each genre, you can maximize the effectiveness of your reading.
Note-Taking for Business & Self-Help Books
Characteristics of This Genre
The purpose of business and self-help books is "putting knowledge into action." Reading without application is meaningless—connecting it to actual behavior is what matters.
Effective Reading Approach
You don't necessarily need to read this genre from start to finish. "Cherry-picking"—looking at the table of contents and starting with chapters relevant to you—is also effective. While reading, actively think "This applies to me" or "I could try this."
What to Record
What to Record from Business Books
- Actions you want to take: List specific behaviors in bullet points
- Key concepts and frameworks: Record names with brief explanations
- Memorable examples and stories: Note why they stood out
- Application to your situation: How to use the content in your work or life
- Results of implementation: Add notes later about what happened when you took action
The Power of Action Lists
Clarifying knowledge from reading as a "things to try" list lowers the psychological barrier to action. Organize the list by priority and review it regularly to ensure you follow through. Recording the results of implementation also helps you reflect on what worked for you.
Sample Notes
【Actions to Take】
• Dedicate morning 30 min to "important but not urgent" tasks
• Always create an agenda before meetings
【Key Concepts】
• Time management matrix (urgency × importance)
• Spending time in Quadrant 2 (important but not urgent) is key to success
【Application to My Situation】
• I've been exhausted dealing with urgent work lately. By allocating time to Quadrant 2 activities (skill development, planning), I should achieve better long-term results.
Note-Taking for Fiction & Literature
Characteristics of This Genre
The purpose of fiction is "experiencing the story world." By empathizing with characters' emotions and immersing yourself in the plot, you deepen your understanding of humanity and gain new perspectives.
Effective Reading Approach
Fiction values the flow of the story, so generally read from beginning to end. Taking detailed notes while reading can break immersion, so we recommend using sticky notes for interesting passages and recording them together at natural breaks.
What to Record
What to Record from Fiction
- Memorable scenes or dialogue: Note why they stood out
- Impressions of characters: What you empathized with or noticed
- Your emotional changes: How you felt while reading
- Themes and author's message: Your own interpretation
- Insights about life or society: What the novel taught you or made you think about
The greatest value of reading fiction is "vicariously experiencing others' lives." Through perspectives of characters living in different circumstances or eras, your understanding of humanity and society deepens. Putting these insights into words enriches the reading experience.
Sample Notes
【Memorable Scene】
• The scene where the protagonist leaves their hometown
→ The determination to "look forward without looking back" came through, reminding me of when I decided to change jobs.
【About the Theme】
• I felt this novel's theme was "loss and rebirth."
• The message that even after losing something precious, people can rise again.
【My Insights】
• I was reminded of the importance of living in the present without being trapped by the past.
Note-Taking for Academic & Technical Books
Characteristics of This Genre
The purpose of academic books is "understanding and retaining systematic knowledge." The content is often complex, and it's not unusual to fail to understand everything in one reading. Techniques to cement memory are especially important for this genre.
Effective Reading Approach
For academic books, it's effective to first grasp the overall structure before diving in. Read the introduction, table of contents, and beginning and end of each chapter first to understand "what this book is about," then read the details. Also, rather than trying to understand everything in one go, plan for 2-3 readings, focusing on grasping the big picture on the first pass.
What to Record
What to Record from Academic Books
- Definitions of key concepts and terms: Record the original text, adding your own understanding as supplements
- Key points from diagrams and graphs: Sketch them or note what they show
- Chapter summaries: Summarize key points after finishing each section or chapter
- Connections to existing knowledge: How it relates to what you already know
- Questions and unclear points: Record them to research later
The Importance of Elaborative Rehearsal
To understand and remember academic content, "elaborative rehearsal" is effective. This is a method of strengthening memory by connecting new information to existing knowledge or paraphrasing it in your own words. Rather than copying the text verbatim, it's important to interpret and record it as "So, this means..."
Sample Notes
【Chapter 2: Statistical Hypothesis Testing】
【Key Concepts】
• Null hypothesis (H0): The assumption that "there is no difference"
• Alternative hypothesis (H1): The hypothesis that "there is a difference"
• p-value: The probability of obtaining the observed data assuming the null hypothesis is true
【My Understanding】
A paradoxical approach of assuming "no difference" and looking for evidence that this is wrong.
【Connection to Existing Knowledge】
Similar thinking to "proof by contradiction" that I learned before.
【Questions】
Where did the p<0.05 criterion come from? Why 5%? (To research)
Note-Taking for Practical & How-To Books
Characteristics of This Genre
The purpose of practical books is "learning specific techniques and methods for practical use." These are books for learning "how to do" things—cooking, programming, language learning, and more.
What to Record
What to Record from Practical Books
- Procedures and steps: Record clearly in bullet points
- Key points and tips: Notes to prevent mistakes
- Results of your attempts: What worked, what failed
- Applications and variations: Your own adaptations of the basics
Practical books are meant not just for reading but for applying. By actually trying things while reading or right after, and recording the results, knowledge becomes truly yours.
Note-Taking for Study Guides & Workbooks
Characteristics of This Genre
The purpose of study guides and workbooks is "developing the ability to score well on exams." It's not just about understanding knowledge, but reaching a state where you can output accurately within time limits. Unlike other genres, "repetitive learning" and "overcoming weaknesses" are especially important.
Effective Reading Approach
For study guides, first read through to grasp the overview, then deepen understanding by solving problems. For workbooks, don't just solve them once—repeatedly solving problems you got wrong is crucial. Repeating until you get the same problem correct 3 times in a row helps cement it in memory.
What to Record
What to Record from Study Guides & Workbooks
- Wrong answers and why: Analyze and record why you got them wrong
- Concepts you're unsure about: Change "sort of understand" to "definitely understand"
- Solution patterns and tips: Standard approaches and shortcuts for solving problems
- Review priority: Rank by difficulty or importance (A/B/C, etc.)
- Dates solved and results: Track ○× to visualize growth
The Effect of Spaced Repetition
"Spaced repetition" is effective for efficiently reviewing wrong answers. By gradually increasing intervals—next day, then 3 days later, 1 week, 2 weeks...— information becomes easier to retain in long-term memory. This is a scientific method based on Ebbinghaus's forgetting curve.
Sample Notes
【Math Chapter 3: Quadratic Functions】
【Wrong Answers】
• Problem 12 (p.45): Cases for max/min values
→ Overlooked that max/min values change depending on the domain
• Problem 18 (p.52): Graph translation
→ Had the sign for x-direction movement backwards
【Solution Patterns】
• For quadratic max/min, consider cases based on "whether the vertex is inside or outside the domain"
• y=f(x-a)+b shifts +a in x-direction, +b in y-direction
【Review Log】
• Problem 12: 1/15 × → 1/17 ○ → 1/20 ○ → Complete
• Problem 18: 1/15 × → 1/16 × → 1/18 ○ → Continue
Effective Use of Workbooks
Tips for Maximizing Workbook Value
- First pass: Solve all problems and record results
- Second pass: Only redo wrong and uncertain problems
- Third pass onwards: Focus on problems you still get wrong
- Before exams: Review all problems marked as difficult
For workbooks, "mastering wrong answers" matters more than "how many times you've gone through it." Spending time on difficult problems is more efficient than repeatedly solving ones you always get right.
Universal Principles for All Genres
While the focus of recording differs by genre, some basic principles apply to all.
Universal Principles for Effective Note-Taking
- Record while reading: Trying to write everything after finishing means forgetting much of it
- Write in your own words: Express things in your own way, not copying the text
- Review regularly: Set aside time for review as part of your reading habits
Particularly important is reviewing your records regularly. Even with good notes, if you just write and forget them, the content fades. By building a habit of reviewing past notes on weekends or at the start of each month, knowledge sticks.
The Effect of Review
Memory fades over time, but reviewing at the right timing helps cement it in long-term memory. By reviewing not just right after reading, but again after 1 week, 1 month, and so on, the book's content becomes rooted as your own knowledge. When you can remember "what was in that book," the effectiveness of your reading increases dramatically.
Tips for Continuing Your Reading Records
Learning note-taking techniques is meaningless if you can't keep it up. Here are some tips for sustaining the practice.
Tips for Sustainability
- Don't aim for perfection: You don't need to record everything. Just what feels important is OK
- Find what works for you: Paper or digital—whatever you can sustain is the right choice
- Build a review habit: Set aside time on weekends or at month-start to review past records
- Visualize your progress: Recording books read or pages completed provides a sense of achievement
Visualizing your reading progress helps maintain motivation. Seeing accomplishments like "I read 5 books this month" or "I've read 10 books on this topic" encourages you to keep reading.
Summary
Business books call for note-taking that promotes "action," fiction calls for recording "experiences and insights," academic books call for deepening "understanding and memory," and study guides call for "overcoming weaknesses." The optimal approach differs by genre.
Key Takeaways
- Reading purpose and what to record differs by book genre
- Business books focus on "action," fiction on "emotion and insight," academic books on "understanding and memory," study guides on "overcoming weaknesses"
- Writing in your own words while reading is important
- Regular review helps knowledge stick and become usable
To truly make the content of books your own, try practicing genre-specific note-taking. It may take some trial and error at first, but once you find a method that works for you, your reading will become much more fulfilling.
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