A paper-first reading field guide
Mark a Disagreement Without Misquoting the Book
Record the page, paraphrase the claim fairly, state your objection on a separate line, and note what evidence could change your mind. Recheck the page before sharing the disagreement.
Strong disagreement makes memory less precise. A four-line card slows the jump from reaction to attribution.
Step 1
Locate before reacting
Write the page and the scope of the claim. A section heading can prevent a local example from being remembered as a universal claim.
- PAGE: ____
- SCOPE: ____________________
Step 2
Paraphrase fairly
Write what you think the author claims, then check that the book would still recognize it.
- AUTHOR'S CLAIM, IN MY WORDS: ____________________
Step 3
Separate the objection
State whether you dispute evidence, logic, scope, or assumptions.
- I DISAGREE BECAUSE: ____________________
Step 4
Leave a revision condition
Write one piece of evidence that could weaken your objection. Recheck before quoting or publishing.