# Get the gist Extracting the crux of a point and distinguishing it from extraneous detail is a skill only acquired through practice, relying exclusively on your own judgment to decide what is or isn't important for our [[💡 Literature Notes]], and using our [[Long-Term Memory]] and [[💡 Permanent Notes]] to integrate new information by looking for patterns and categories, asking questions, and reframing perspectives. The best way to practice outside of a classroom is to take condensed notes while reading. Notes should be simple, but not simplified, and we [[Write notes in our own words]]. ## Related [[🦮 How to Take Good Notes]], [[⭐️ Learning]], [^1]: [[How to Take Smart Notes - One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking – for Students, Academics and Nonfiction Book Writers]]