Note 06 · Reading
Mark what the reading leaves open
A useful note distinguishes what a source says, what you infer and what still needs checking.
State the claim carefully
Begin with the claim you can support from the passage. Then place your own interpretation in a separate sentence. This prevents a reasonable inference from becoming an apparent quotation or established fact. The distinction also makes disagreement easier to examine, because you can see which part belongs to the source.
Describe the missing piece
Replace a vague uncertainty label with a specific question. You may need the date of an example, the meaning of a term or a comparison the author did not provide. A precise gap suggests a smaller next action. It also allows the note to remain useful when you decide the missing piece is not worth pursuing today.
Preserve a change of mind
If another source changes your interpretation, add the new reading and explain the revision. Keep enough of the earlier wording to understand why it seemed plausible. The record does not need a transcript of every thought, but a dated correction can be more useful than a polished note that hides how its conclusion changed.