I should note that I am researching for my personal benefit, rather than for a class or thesis, so I can take as long as I want.
So I am wanting to become better at researching and taking notes on books as I am reading, in order that I can retain information and gain a better sense of what each author has to say. For example, say I want to know as much as I can about the different views on George Washington, so I grab a couple biographies. Is going chapter by chapter of each and doing a short summary of each the best way to go about it? Or should I be more focused on methods like introduction, third chapter, conclusion to understand what each author has to say?
This is also somewhat related, but how do you memorize dates, names, and places? Does it come from just reading constantly about your topic, or do you take time to memorize the information specifically? All advice is welcome!
Allow me to shill once again my write-up of How to Read an Academic Book--a strategy that is patently NOT original to me and is very well attested by generations of grad student.
I don't make an effort to memorize names and dates and stuff--if they're important, I'll absorb them by osmosis after reading several books on roughly related subjects. So usually the first book I read on a topic has a LOT more pages of notes, since I'm writing down so much more about who's who and who was fighting who and "so this was a country at this time. huh."
Also, I use word processing software for all my notes so they are searchable, and backup-able. If you take them by hand, I highly suggest scanning them/photographing them afterwards (OCR a bonus).
I hope this is helpful!
I read with a pen in my hand, and take notes within the margins. I also underline and circle key points. I’ll also jot a short summary of the chapter at the end of each chapter as well. And then if it’s for specific research, I will use color coded sticky notes.
While I know I can contain a good deal of the information I read, having an easy way to refresh myself goes a long way.