A paper-first reading field guide
Follow Uncertainty Words Through an Argument
Use three linked fields: uncertainty word, evidence added, and confidence now. Keep each field brief and attach the page or chapter landmark that supports it.
Track where an author moves from possible to likely, established, or still unknown. A compact three-anchor trail keeps the note useful when you return later or discuss it with someone using another edition.
Step 1
Anchor the location
Record the page or chapter before interpreting the moment. Add the current reading boundary when later knowledge could change the note.
Step 2
Uncertainty word
Save the author’s actual confidence level.
Step 3
Evidence added
Anchor the evidence that changes it.
Step 4
Confidence now
Update the label without making the claim stronger than the text.