I am a recovering control freak. For years, I have posed as an organizer, especially in academic settings, but control remains the dark underbelly of my organizing. As I learn new rhythms of reading, writing, and thinking, I face the disorienting challenge of loosening my grip on control. Questions swirl: How can I ensure I\u2019m not missing something critical if I don\u2019t read every word? Will I prove inadequate or unlearned if I skim? What will I unearth if I probe my thought patterns? And where in my realm of tidy control am I supposed to store all these index cards?<\/p>\n
Adler and Van Doren\u2019s How to Read a Book<\/em> and Ahrens\u2019 How to Take Smart Notes<\/em> suggest that maintaining control in reading and writing doesn\u2019t require rigidity but deliberate strategies for engaging with content effectively. They advocate for an intentional, structured approach of reading only what needs to be read, jotting down notes and themes, setting focus to relevant material, and connecting ideas at the end of each day. Combined with Paul and Elder\u2019s standards of clarity and specificity, their ideas aim to produce efficiency in reading large amounts of material and making relevant writing.<\/p>\n How to Read a Book <\/em>proposes that Inspectional Reading will allow readers to absorb essential content without reading every word. At first glance, the strategy of skimming and answering surface questions[1]<\/a> felt wrong \u2013 like a betrayal to my literature professors. In fact, when I shared it with a dear author friend, she cringed. She didn\u2019t like the idea of anyone \u201cglossing over\u201d words she had carefully chosen. I, too, thought back on articles I had written. It saddens me to think readers would skim over my work like breadcrumbs rather than savor them like a gourmet meal. After all, I was teaching about the way of Jesus, and what could be more important? What is more right than carefully consuming Christian teaching? Is it cheating? Am I getting away with something or cutting a corner by engaging with books in this way?<\/p>\n Because I have equated reading every line of a book as \u201cperfect\u201d reading (complete reading earned A+ grades in high school and undergrad), this strategy of searching for keywords and reading parts instead of the whole challenges my perfectionism. However, I\u2019m beginning to understand that it offers a more thorough approach through intentionality. Control shifts from micromanaging every line to focusing on the big picture and integrating concepts into my existing schema. Likewise, in How to Take Smart Notes, Ahrens strikes a balance between control and openness to new ideas. He asserts, \u201cThe best way to maintain the feeling of control is to stay in control.\u201d[2]<\/a> This resonates deeply, yet his method requires flexibility and real-time engagement with the material. By taking notes throughout the reading process and organizing them into a slip-box, I\u2019m learning to translate ideas in real-time rather than waiting until I finish an entire book or article. Previously, I would passively underline passages and only write notes after completing a text. I\u2019m learning to engage actively by writing notes throughout and producing index cards daily. This overhaul of my habits emphasizes clarity, critical thinking, and focus. The deliberate act of selecting what to capture ensures meaningful connections between new and existing ideas.<\/p>\n Another part of my control tendency is regarding productivity. I\u2019ve taken great pride in multitasking and getting loads done. Yet, multitasking does not lend well to focus. Focus and precision also emerge as key themes. Ahrens dismantles the myth of multitasking, advocating instead for selective and deliberate engagement. This focused approach allows me to become like a hunter, scanning for significant insights and connecting them to my slip-box. Hunters set their sights on one prey at a time \u2013 it is the precision that allows success. I\u2019ve often erred on the side of excessive quoting to avoid plagiarism. However, How to Take Smart Notes<\/em> encourages precision by translating ideas into one\u2019s language and context. This deliberate focus on relevance and clarity is a significant shift for me.<\/p>\n Adler and Van Doren remind me, \u201cNo book deserves a perfect outline because no book is perfect.\u201d[3]<\/a>. This semester, I\u2019m expectant as I transform old habits into more effective practices. I have identified some problem areas to target[4]<\/a>. Relinquishing control doesn\u2019t mean chaos\u2014it means intentionality, focus, and a new kind of mastery. And yes, I\u2019ve already ordered an organizer for my growing collection of index cards. I think it is safe to hold on to that control for now.<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Mortimer Jerome Adler and Charles Van Doren,\u00a0How to Read a Book<\/em>\u00a0(New York: Simon and Schuster, 1972), 18.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Ahrens, S\u00f6nke,\u00a0How to Take Smart Notes<\/em>\u00a0(Hamburg, Germany: S\u00f6nke Ahrens, 2022), 15.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Mortimer Jerome Adler and Charles Van Doren, 85.<\/p>\n