How to Read & Take Notes Like a PhD Student | Tips for Reading Fast & Efficiently for Slow Readers

Summary

This video by Kalyn, a second-year Ph.D. student at Yale, offers a comprehensive guide on how to read effectively as a Ph.D. student. She discusses three types of reading: for class, retention, and research, providing strategies for note-taking and understanding. Kalyn emphasizes the importance of active recall and using tools like Notion for organization. She also shares her personal system for reading academic articles and books, aiming to help students at all levels enhance their reading and retention skills.

Takeaways

• 📚 Reading is a fundamental skill for graduate students and scholars, requiring a strategic approach for comprehension and retention.
• 🔍 The speaker, Kalyn, emphasizes the importance of reading with a purpose, whether for class, retention, or research, and tailoring note-taking accordingly.
• 📈 Start the term by reviewing syllabi to identify key readings that align with long-term academic goals and research interests.
• 📝 For class notes, Kalyn recommends using Notion to organize notes into categories like major themes, scholarship, and questions for efficient class participation and exam preparation.
• 🎓 Attending office hours for exam-based courses can provide key takeaways and support academic success.
• 🔑 Active recall is essential for retention; discussing and teaching what you've read to others helps establish long-term memory.
• 📘 When reading for retention, focus on the main argument, supporting arguments, and the scholarly conversation the text is part of.
• 📑 For academic articles, identify the main argument, supporting arguments, and scholarly discourse, noting sources and methods used by the author.
• 📕 Academic monographs should be read with attention to the introduction and conclusion, which contain the main argument and scholarly discourse.
• 🔍 When reading for research, use key terms and indexes to find the most relevant information quickly and efficiently.
• 📘 For chapters in a book, read the first and last few pages thoroughly, and skim the middle for examples that support the author's thesis.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to provide tips and strategies on how to read effectively like a PhD student, covering different types of reading, note-taking, and retention.

Who is the speaker in the video?

The speaker in the video is Kalyn, a second-year PhD student in history and African American studies at Yale University.

What are the three primary types of reading discussed in the video?

The three primary types of reading discussed are reading for class, reading for retention, and reading for research.

Why is it important to read the syllabi at the beginning of a new term?

It is important to read the syllabi to determine which readings are most pertinent to your long-term goals in research and to read with a strategy in mind, rather than wasting time on subjects you may never need again.

What is the recommended approach for taking class notes according to the video?

The recommended approach for taking class notes is to use an organization app like Notion, breaking notes into sections such as major themes, scholarship, and questions, focusing on talking points and examples for class participation and exam preparation.

What is the significance of attending office hours for exam-based courses as mentioned in the video?

Attending office hours is significant as it helps students align their reading and note-taking with the key takeaways recommended by the professors, thereby being better prepared for exams.

How does the video suggest using Notion for academic purposes?

The video suggests using Notion for organizing notes, managing research, tracking progress, and integrating with citation management software. It is also used for creating databases of readings and managing dissertation projects.

What is the main argument in academic articles or books according to the video?

The main argument or thesis is the center of the text, representing the author's contribution to the field, and should be clearly indicated in notes for easy reference and understanding.

How should one approach reading an academic article for retention as per the video?

For retention, one should focus on active recall, engaging in discussions, teaching the subject to others, and integrating readings into research papers. Notes should include main argument, supporting arguments, subjects and sites, sources, methods, scholarly debate, terms and themes, questions, and personal notes.

What are the key sections of an academic monograph that should be paid attention to?

The key sections of an academic monograph that should be paid attention to are the introduction, chapters, conclusion, and bibliography. These sections contain the main argument, scholarly discourse, and evidence.

How does the video suggest reading for research?

For research, the video suggests focusing on key takeaways relevant to the project, using search terms to find applicable texts, and utilizing the index or find feature to locate sections directly referencing the subject matter.