Preserve the boundary between the book and your reading
Separate a Quote from Your Paraphrase
Put quotation marks only around words you copied exactly, add the page, and give your paraphrase a separate line beginning with “My reading.” If you do not need exact wording, keep only the page and your own short cue.
Weeks later, a smooth paraphrase can look like a direct quote. A visible source line makes it easier to tell what the book says, what you inferred, and where to verify the distinction.
Source
Write the edition and page first
Record enough detail to find the passage in the copy you are holding. Page numbers can change between editions, so add the chapter or section when the note may outlive the current copy.
Exact words
Use a quote line only when wording matters
Copy a short excerpt carefully and place quotation marks around only those exact words. Return to the printed page to check it. If the wording is not necessary, skip this line and keep a page reference instead.
Your meaning
Give interpretation its own label
Begin the next line with “My reading” or “My reaction.” State the connection in your own words. The label prevents your interpretation from blending into the source when you revisit the card later.
Purpose
Mark why you want to return
Choose one job for the note: Keep, Felt, Clue, or Discuss. The category describes your intention. It does not certify the accuracy of the excerpt or the interpretation.
Sharing
Return to the book before repeating exact words
If you plan to use the excerpt in a discussion or another document, verify it again against the source and follow the rules that apply to that use. Your private note is a memory aid, not a substitute for checking the text.
Stop rule
Save less when a page reference is enough
Many reading notes need only a location and a cue. Keep exact words for moments where the wording itself matters, and let the book remain the source of the full passage.