Nonfiction can make a claim feel convincing before you have decided why. This small ladder helps a physical-book reader separate interest, evidence, and confidence without copying the author’s sentences.
When a claim changes your view, save the page and choose one rung:
| Rung | Reader state | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interesting | The question the claim raises |
| 2 | Plausible | The kind of support the author offers |
| 3 | Persuasive | What now seems more likely to you |
| 4 | Actionable | What you would test or do differently |
Use your own words. A page number is enough to return to the source later.
Choose the question that best fits the rung:
Write one answer:
My pressure test: ____________________________________________
Look at the highest rung you used. Then ask whether the chapter earned that level of confidence or whether momentum carried you upward. Move the marker down if the support weakened; move it up only when a later page adds a new reason.
The ladder is useful because it preserves a change in judgment, not a copy of the argument.
This is a personal reflection aid, not a citation manager, fact-check, academic evidence review, or substitute for returning to the source. For consequential decisions, verify the claim independently.
I am the developer of Reading Journal: TabMap, an iPhone and iPad companion for physical-book readers. It lets a reader save a page, a reason such as Keep or Discuss, and an intensity, with an optional private note. The free version includes one complete book map; no account is required, and books, markers, labels, and optional notes stay on the device.
View Reading Journal: TabMap on the App Store
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