Most academics, myself included, approach reading with an almost compulsive need to capture everything. I highlight vast amounts of text, jot down extensive quotes, and create detailed summaries – only to find these carefully crafted notes gathering digital dust, rarely to be revisited.

My problem isn’t that I don’t take enough notes – it’s that too often I’m focused on replicating content rather than developing understanding.

From collection to comprehension

When reading academic papers, many of us fall into a collector’s mindset where we treat note-taking as a process of gathering and storing information, hoping that somehow this accumulation of highlights and annotations will translate into deeper understanding. But the uncomfortable truth is that simply collecting information isn’t the same as comprehending it.

Instead of trying to capture everything, try this approach:

• Make notes that reflect your understanding of the text, not just what it says
• Focus on capturing your own insights and reactions rather than extensive quotes
• Ask yourself: “How would I explain this concept to a colleague?”
• Write notes that will make sense to your future self, without needing to reference the original text

Quality over quantity

The goal isn’t to create a perfect summary of the text – it’s to document your thinking process as you engage with new ideas. Your literature notes should serve as a bridge between what you’re reading and how it connects to your own work and thinking.

Read: Capture literature notes from video.

When I started making this shift in my own practice, I found that not only was I spending less time on note-taking, but I was actually retaining more of what I read. The key was focusing on quality over quantity, and prioritising comprehension over collection.

In practice

Before closing a reading session, I now ask myself: “What are the one or two key insights I want to remember from this text?” This simple question helps filter out the noise and focus on what truly matters. The resulting notes might be shorter, but they’re infinitely more valuable because they capture my understanding rather than just information.

This approach aligns with one of our core principles at Head space: quality intellectual engagement doesn’t come from doing more, but from being more intentional about what we do. By taking fewer, more meaningful notes, we create the mental space needed for deeper understanding and more creative thinking.

Want to develop a more intentional approach to your writing? The Academic Note-taking course shows you how to build a sustainable system for capturing and developing ideas that serve your thinking.