Interactive Reading and Notes
When I read the assignments for the week I was worried about having to try something new during my weekly readings. I was skeptical, much like I was during the writing workshop last semester when we asked to break our writing up into phases. I usually take notes in the margins and highlight phrases I find important or just like. I also like to stop to note any blog post ideas that may come to mind as I read. I decided to try the interactive reading approach with Carol Lasser’s, Sex, Gender, and the Transformation of Antislavery Rhetoric. I had never read this article before and thought it might be helpful to try the exercise with this reading. As I said before I prefer to use highlighters, so my first challenge was keeping the vivid, fluorescent marker out of my hand. I preread the article, looking at section headings, organization, references, and even the pictures. Then I read the article in its entirety. I then went back over the reading to add my marginal notes and underlinings, all while trying to keep her questions to think about as you read in mind. This method, as Dr. Single admits, will not work for those pressed for time, like say graduate students, but Lasser’s article seemed important to my topic so it deserved my full attention. I definitely got more out of the article than I would have in one thorough reading using my own style. I do think the method can be adapted by individuals to suit their own style, time-frames, and reading needs.
A “citable note” from Dr. Quigley’s recommended article:
(Laseer 2008)discusses changing strategies in the abolition movement; use of sexually charged rhetoric to shock and move readers emotionally, “voyeuristic abolitionism”
Agreed — the method can (and should be) be adapted to individual reading quirks (like highlighters) But I suspect that as you read more (and have lots of material to check) prereading will help you figure out whether the book/article is going to be one you want to spend time with. For me, it’s the idea of taking “citable notes” — so that I can do quick references and know where the important ideas come from.
I struggled with the highlighter, too, but found the exercise useful. I did look at it as an “exercise” rather than “reading,” which I believe also helped. By treating it as a project or assignment in and of itself, the act of reading became increasingly important and, in case you haven’t heard the word enough, active. That being said, I agree with Dr. Jones that we can probably adapt and tweak this method as we become more comfortable with it.