Reading is one of the best ways to gain knowledge.

There are two ways to read — active reading and passive reading.

If you are reading for pleasure, you want to enjoy the experience, lose yourself in the book and follow the journey with the author.

I’m not good at that. I don’t read a lot of non-fiction books. I am very selective, so I end up with few books.

If you want to acquire new knowledge, the process should be completely different. You want to be able to remember and apply what you are learning. So it pays to read critically.

I use this process to learn new topics. It takes time, but it’s worth it. Knowledge is the power to; think independently, think clearly and make informed decisions.

Great books teach timeless and valuable lessons, so I prefer to read them slowly and critically — the aim is always to understand deeper.

“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries.” René Descartes once said.

Analytical reading is a better approach to acquire new knowledge.

“Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.” Sir Francis Bacon said.

Critical or analytical reading is a more active, conscious, more profound and complex way to engage with the content.

When you read critically, you start with an open mind but tend to question the knowledge. You ask questions, highlight key points, take notes, underline important ideas, think deeper about every idea the author is trying to explain.

To think deeper and critically about your new information, you have to engage with the material differently.

Critical reading is essential because you are reading to understand. And you can’t deeply understand the topic if you don’t ask questions, raise objections analyse the evidence and reflect thoughtfully.

Read slowly. You can understand better if you don’t hurry the process. Try not to skim the book. Each paper should be a learning process. By slowing down, you can find the best ideas and connect with the content better.

Don’t forget to take notes. It’s an essential process of the learning experience. A paper notebook is a better option, but you could also use your favourite note-taking app.

Explain the main ideas in your notebook. Your interpretation of the ideas can help you remember quicker. You can use your highlights and underlined text to write your summary.

Writing is also a way to ask questions, raise doubts and think critically about ideas. Jot down your interpretation of each chapter.

What’re the big lessons? Is it explained clearly? Does the author support the ideas with evidence or facts? Are the assumptions supported?

Note all the questions you may have. Write down essential questions that can help you dig deeper or explore other books to understand better.

“Reading furnishes the mind only with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.” John Locke said.

Share your opinion with others. Teaching is also one of the best ways to learn. Share your comprehensive notes with your audience. You could use the opportunity to summarise the book and publish it.

It’s a way to understand the content better. Albert Einstein once said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

Writing is also a great way to “reorganise your thoughts, prior knowledge and understanding to accommodate new ideas or viewpoints,” writes SkillsYouNeed.

By building the habit of critical reading, you will improve your analytical reading skills and explore even more ideas you come across. Your wealth of knowledge will expand exponentially over time.

A lot of books will influence you if you are a voracious reader. So, choose your books carefully.

Reading stimulates the brain and helps you connect existing ideas, challenge your assumptions and upgrade mental models.

This article originally appeared on Medium.