Keep the question beside the source
A compact reading note can preserve what a source says, what you infer and what still needs checking.
A saved link tells you where you read something. It does not always tell you why you saved it. Keeping a question beside the link makes a reading note easier to revisit.
Record what you are looking for
Before collecting more links, write down the question. Keep it narrow enough that you could recognize a relevant answer. A title that sounds related is not the same thing as a source that answers your question.
Give each kind of note its own place
- Source: the title, author or organization, and the original link.
- Observation: what the source actually says, in your own words.
- Interpretation: what you think follows from it.
- Open question: what you have not checked yet.
Quotation marks belong around exact quotations. If you paraphrase, retain enough context to avoid changing the meaning.
Return to the original
A summary, including one produced by an AI tool, can help you locate a passage to examine. Treat it as a prompt to consult the original text. If you cannot find support for a statement, keep that uncertainty in the note.
Stop when the note serves its purpose
A useful reading note does not have to become an archive. Keep the information needed for your next step and leave space for revision. The aim is a traceable question, not a collection of links for its own sake.