 When you are taking notes, what notes do you take? Depending on the class or assignment for which you are reading a text, you want to vary the types of notes you take. For example, when I prepared for my film history final, I focused on historical figures and their contributions to the film industry. The final included several questions regarding these figures, and my reading strategy really helped me out. However, every class is different, and there are different strategies for different classes. The important thing is that you keep the big picture in your head whenever you read a text.