Each student will maintain a paper reading notebook. Take notes in a standard composition notebook. Bring your book and this notebook to every class meeting. Entries are handwritten (or printed and taped in if I’ve collected your notebooks). One entry per pre-class reading.

You should take “scratch notes” while you are reading, and create this entry in your notebook after you’ve finished the reading, from your thoughts and scratch notes, and rereading any passages if need be.

Here is an example of what your entries should look like.

Date: YYYY-MM-DD
Topic (Chapter + Dialogue): _______________________________

## 1) High-level summary (what the text is doing)

3-5 bullet points that capture the aim, method, and big ideas of this reading. 
Prefer "verbs of doing" (e.g., "sets up...", "models...", "contrasts...") over plot.

## 2) Dialogue <-> chapter link (how the dialogue enacts what the chapter analyzes)

One paragraph (3-6 sentences) describing the structural trick(s) in the dialogue
(repetition, inversion, canon, self-reference) and the matching concept in the chapter.

## 3) Three deep, non-trivial questions that emerge in this reading.
These should be non-trivial and text-anchored: for each cite page/line or rule.

## 4) Worked examples or exercises from any systems or examples he gives
- E.g. small derivations

## 5) Quoted two central passages (with why they matter)

These should no more than a paragraph, or at most two. 
Reference each with its page number.
If it's longer than 3 sentences For each, you can extract with dot-dot-dot
Each quote should be followed by your explanation why that passage is uniquely central to the reading

## 6) Key terms / mappings
3-6 new terms or examples of cross-domain connections (e.g. music to logic) defined in your own words.

## 7) One counter-case or limitation
A short example that looks like it fits the topic but doesn't, and why. 
This can be something the author provides or something of your own invention.
The latter is better.

## 8) A study-card sentence (≤10 words)

## 9) Muddiest point (what confused you most)

Estimates

I expect this should take you about 40m to 1hr on top of the reading itself.

GEB Notebook — Holistic Rubric (/20)

You will keep one notebook entry per meeting. I will do several surprise, holistic checks across all entries to date. Each check is scored on four dimensions, 0–5 points each.

| Dimension      | 0–2 Needs Work                                                           | 3 Adequate                               | 4 Strong                                                        | 5 Exceptional                                                                                 |
|----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Coverage       | Several expected entries missing or very thin.                           | About half the expected entries present. | Most entries present; a few gaps only.                          | All expected entries present and substantial since last check.                                |
| Specificity    | Few concrete details; almost no page/line cites or worked examples.      | Occasional cites/examples.               | Frequent page/line cites; examples are mostly concrete/correct. | Consistent, precise page/line cites; examples are crisp and illuminating (when applicable).   |
| Accuracy       | Summaries mischaracterize points; formal steps (if any) often incorrect. | Some mistakes or over‑generalizations.   | Minor slips only; overall faithful to the text.                 | Faithful, careful paraphrase; formal steps (if any) are correct and clearly laid out.         |
| Thoughtfulness | Questions are superficial or duplicative; 10‑word summary unclear.       | Mixed depth; some questions interesting. | Good questions; clear 10‑word summary; occasional connections.  | Insightful, text‑anchored questions; sharp 10‑word summary; meaningful connections or limits. |