Create a note-taking grid to organize your thoughts. On a regular sheet of paper or on the computer, create a grid with three columns and two rows. This will allow ample space to write notes. Create more sheets as needed.
Pick out key points from the table of contents or from your teacher's lectures about the book. If it's a short book, use the table of contents as a key point list and write each heading into one cell of the table. If it's a longer book, use each chapter's subheadings to find key points and make a note-taking table for each chapter. If you are reading the book for a class, write down the key themes or ideas that your instructor mentions and use those to organize your notes.
Read a section of the book without taking notes to ensure you understand the material. After you've soaked it in, scan back through the section you read and start taking notes.
Remember to capture only the things you need to remember. If the information is something you know, there's no need to write it down. The table should have new and useful information written in short, concise terms. You may also want to create an "other" category to jot down your questions and impressions. For any information that you want to refer back to in the actual book, write down the title and page number in your notes for quick reference.
Underline or highlight key phrases in the book that you want to especially remember, or mark the note in your organizer with an asterisk.
Review your notes. The note-taking organizer makes a great study sheet just before a test. Learning how to effectively take notes on a book will help you get organized and easily recall information.