Effective Textbook Marking - marking in your textbook can aid in the learning process. Use these three steps to increase your comprehension and retention of the reading materials.

Step 1: Mark Your Textbook After Reading Each Paragraph. At the end of the paragraph, go back and mark the main idea and important supporting details so they stand out. You might use the following coding system:

• Underline words signifying the main ideas with a double line.
• Underline words signifying supporting material with a single line.
• Use small circled numbers above words to indicate a series of related facts (enumerations).
• Use a vertical bracket ( [ ) in the left-hand margin to highlight two or more consecutive important lines of text.
• Place a question mark (?) beside any idea which you do not understand.
• Place a capital D beside any statement with which you disagree.

Step 2: Make Notes In The Four Margins. After you read the entire chapter and mark the text, use the following principles:

• Use your left margin to condense the information from the text into brief meaningful notes. Jot down the main ideas and the important supporting material from your already marked text.
• Use the top margin on each page to write down any questions you may have about the material on that page. If you have no questions, leave the top margin blank.
• Use the bottom margin on each page to write any hard-to-remember ideas, terms or concepts so that they will stand out. During your review periods, compile these into a list or put onto notecards, so you may review them immediately before the test.
• Use the right-hand margin to prepare a simple quiz on the material on that page which you can take during review periods. The quiz should let you know if you have learned the information in the left hand margin.

Step 3: Review The Information in the left hand column of each page regularly. You should never have to read the extra chapter more than once. Take the quizzes, and study the hard-to-remember terms in your final review.