Preview the book. Read the title, the description on the back and the table of contents. Skim the introduction. This activity helps you anticipate the content of the book and its purpose.
Take notes from your book. On a separate piece of paper or in a notebook, write the title of the book and the author, if important. As you begin a new chapter, write down the title of the chapter and any subheadings.
Preview each chapter before you read it to anticipate what it's about. Create questions that you think the text might answer (see Reference 1). Find the major point of chapter and the major point of subheading. Fill these in under the chapter title and subheading you've already recorded.
Devise questions about the key points of a chapter after you've read it. Answer them orally and then write down both your answers and the questions. Reviewing and summarizing what you have read aids in memorizing it (see Reference 1).
Close your textbook and notebook after you're done reading and note-taking for the day and summarize what you read, without any notes to prompt you. This way, you can ensure you've absorbed the information you read. If you can't remember a particular concept, write it down, but save looking it up until the next time you study. Wanting to know what the concept meant may encourage you to pick up your books next time (see Reference 1).