Reading For the Concepts Amidst the Details

Posted on by frankwmcarr

Today (which includes the wee hours of this morning) I was reading through a section of a layman-level book in the Scientific American Library book, Life Processes of Plants (which is really a review for me).  I also took notes based on this material, in a summarizing fashion.  This part of that chapter was about the best time to flower and for seeds to germinate.  However, the skill I really want to convey in this post is getting the bottom line amidst the body of writing and not holding an idolatrous “verbatim bondage” to the text.  (By the way, in this post, the focus is on secular non-fiction.)

So, people may think I have a photographic memory (of sorts).  Well, I deny that, especially since claiming that is arrogant and in fact deceitful when my memory is only sub-par to such.  This is especially the case over time, for as usual, details within text tend to fade (just like the average person).  Also, excessive focus on retention and review of past readings, again, shows that bondage to memorization.  From my conscience, this can be idolatry because can potentially displace adoration to God onto secular reading material.

This thereby may put me in the dilemma of “to keep or not to keep.”  Well, here’s my take on it:

  1. When considering investigating into a topic, judge the worth of a topic and see if it is really necessary for your purposes.  Of course, you should show interest in it as well.  Our days are numbered (cf. Ps 90) and should not be wasted.
  2. Get the main points of a book, website, or any informative material.  Remember, details of anything are the elements of “who, what, when, where, why, and how.”  They shape a written work, but are not the work itself.
  3. When you are done with the book, just let it fly!  After all, if that weren’t the case, we wouldn’t check out books from libraries.  You read something, you comprehend it, and just move on!  There’s a whole world of information to explore than that tiny corner of knowledge you might get preoccupied with.
  4. Finally, last but not least, seek God’s wisdom, especially through prayer and Scriptural reading.

Of course, the details of a written work have their purpose, such as reference, or as discussed above, to steer the course of reading the work.

The Bible is a possible exception to this rule, since it can spiritually shape you along your earthly journey in different ways, perhaps using the same scriptures. But the Bible is meant to transform, not merely to inform.

In a nutshell, summarization is as important for non-fiction as it is for fiction.  (Pun intended.)

So, willing to drop everything and read, and do it again and again and again?

Summarization: A Method of Conquering Tough Material

Posted on by frankwmcarr

So, in these last days before the Spring 2016 semester, I have enjoyed the diligent work of summarizing more-or-less technical information to get the main points extracted.  As well as trimming extensive detail, I’ve gone an extra step in trimming jargon.  It is a rewarding task that not only is a good method of sharing information, but of personal learning as well.  Some summarized points may appear in future works (perhaps including blog posts!).  And if I need the original detail, it is a good idea to cite the original source(s) in order to track them.

Often, it may be equally smart to give priority to websites over printed books, since information is always subject to change and while the web can be updated, books require revised editions every few years if they are to remain current.  Books can be useful, but will inevitably show their age.  The web, on the other hand, has given a “fountain of youth” to information.

While I do well in understanding deep information, not everyone does.  No problem though, you can use “lighter” materials and thus derive, of course, an even lighter summary!

This is quite “sum” labor of love here!