Article: Every journal entry you make should have obvious info included for the sake of posterity. This includes the name of the author and the title of the book. Make a point of putting this in boldface or otherwise emphasizing it on the page or screen. That way, it'll be easier to keep track of your reading when you go back to look at your entries further down the road. The memory is fickle. Even if you're enjoying the book you're reading a lot, there's no promise you'll remember most or even some of the material. This problem becomes bigger the more stuff you read. While you're definitely not expected to log in every piece of information a book has to offer, it's a good idea to jot down things that interest you. The bits of info you mark down can be an anchor for remembering other things. Most books will have certain lines that jump out at you. You won't be able to snag all of the quotes you want, but there may be one or two per book that will be worth recording word for word. Going quote-hunting is especially worthwhile if you think you've found a line or two that perfectly expresses what the rest of the book is about. Don't forget to include the page number if you quote something from a book. Some book journals will rely exclusively on what a book is about, but there's just as much value in talking about the way an author explores his topic. Think about things like writing perspective (first person, third person etc.), the length of the book, the use of imagery and poetic devices, and whatever other techniques the author has used. For the sake of writing in your journal itself, write your feelings on whether you think certain techniques worked or not. A journal entry can be an informal critical review. By putting technical aspects under the microscope, you'll be able to tell good from bad writing apart more easily over time. A book journal doesn't just catalogue what you're reading. Like any type of journal, it also indirectly comments on the course of your life. Your life experiences dictate what you read about, and in turn, certain books will be associated with parts of your life. With this in mind, write down the time and place you were when you read most of it. Writing down the ties between what you're reading and what you experienced is a great way to better remember both. This will help enrich the association between the book and the circumstances of your life. For the sake of understanding the experience of reading a book, it may be a good idea to write in a few notes about what is actually happening in your life at the time of reading. Having a idea of what was going on (where you were living, who you were dating etc.) will bring a lot of the smaller details from that stage of your life back to you.  With some given background in place, you can contextualize the book in question with the mindset you were in at the time. This can help explain why you focused on or wrote certain things in each entry. Obviously, more personal details should only be included if the book journal is totally private and not at risk of being read by anyone else. Books are a source of fun and relaxation, but they also help us grow as people. Most books you read probably won't have a lasting impact, but a few inevitably will. If you feel like a book has permanently altered the way you see the world, you should make  a clear note of it at the bottom of your entry. It may be helpful to put a note like this in boldface. That way, when you're scanning past entries months or years from now, you'll be able to quickly spot the ones that were especially noteworthy to you at the time.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
List the book's essential information. Write in facts you might forget. Copy memorable quotes into your entry. Comment on writing techniques in the book you're reading. Note your current time and place with each book entry. Relate the book to what's going on in your life. Reflect on whether the book has changed you.

Look for text written in bold or italics, or off-set in a chart or graph. Also look for sections at the end of each chapter that condenses the key concepts from that unit. Information presented in any of these ways tends to be of the highest importance when teachers prepare a test on that chapter or section.  If you're studying a creative work, such as a play or novel, look for patterns and themes. Motifs (elements that carry additional meaning, such as darkness, blood, gold) may repeat across the text, suggesting that they're important to pay attention to. “Big ideas” are also good to focus on. If your teacher permits it, you can use a study guide such as Cliffs Notes or Shmoop to help you understand the plot, so that you can focus on more important themes and patterns. Don't rely on these guides to tell you everything you need to know! Use them only as supplements to other study and reading techniques. Now that you've skimmed the chapter and made note of the key concepts, read the whole section at least once, paying attention to details and taking notes along the way. This will allow you to understand the material and contextualize that chapter within the larger unit. Active reading, which involves asking questions of the reading and taking notes, is proven to be more effective and efficient than passively reading through just to finish the chapter.  Draw a bracket around key concepts in the chapter, and circle any terms or names you're not familiar with. Write questions in the margins as you read, then find the answers to those questions. This will help you make better sense of the material and will help you remember those concepts more concretely.  Remember that restating can also condense and focus. As you restate, make sure you pay attention to what seems most important. For example, consider this passage: “Students frequently overuse direct quotation in taking notes, and as a result they overuse quotations in the final [research] paper. Probably only about 10% of your final manuscript should appear as directly quoted matter. Therefore, you should strive to limit the amount of exact transcribing of source materials while taking notes.” Lester, James D. Writing Research Papers. 2nd ed. (1976): 46-47.  A restatement of the key concept could look like this: “Take fewer direct quotations in notes bc too many could cause over-quotation in final paper. 10% max quotes in final.” As you can see, this has captured the most important information from the passage, but it's in your own words, and it's much shorter -- meaning it will be easier to remember later. Go over your notes and any flashcards you've made. Quiz yourself once you've read through all of your notes several times through. You should be able to recall most of the key concepts, names, and dates. Repeat this review process as often as necessary to keep the information in your mind as you prepare for upcoming quizzes and tests. Studies have found that the most efficient way to study is in short bursts, typically in 1-3 hour increments. Give yourself several days, each with several sessions, to prepare. Research suggests that studying related but varied material in one sitting is more efficient and effective than studying just one subject material in a given session. You can also try to relate material you're learning to stuff you already know. You can even create connections between new material and pop culture. You're more likely to remember new material if it's linked to things you're already familiar with.
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One-sentence summary --
Skim each chapter before reading. Read the chapter closely and take notes. Be an active reader. Restate key concepts in your own words. Review everything you've read as soon as you finish the chapter. Don't try to do it all at once. Change up your subjects.