My strategy is more or less to start by figuring out the structure of a text. This may be in the table of contents, introduction, index, chapter sections, or subsections. I generally scan the text as fast as possible to find all the essential points of interest, marking them down for future reference. What I do after this point is likely different than most. As every text I read is digitally formatted, I don't actually try to remember or deeply understand much at all on my second pass through the material. Instead, I will open a text editor and copy and paste the passages that strike me as most essential, retaining as much context as necessary to retain the original meaning. On my third pass, I will restructure the extracted content, cutting out the redundant parts, re-mixing, or re-expressing them until each chunk I want to remember is accessible and concise. This completes what I'd call the conceptual phase of my reading, which takes a fraction of the time it would take if I were attempting to understand the work using a more linear or comprehensive approach.

There is still much I don't understand at this point. This is natural since I haven't had an opportunity to apply the information to a personally meaningful context. This is the point at which I begin the practical phase. As most of what I need to know is documented in my notes, I will keep it on hand as a memory queue as I engage with specific questions or problems that interest me. And so when an issue comes up that I can't settle, I refer to the notes and also search around online to find out how I should apply the content in that particular problem situation. It's over the course of this process that I internalize the most vital details. That's where the learning happens, at least for me.

Another advantage to this approach is that you will have a type of mnemonic device to reboot your knowledge. As most people forget practically everything shortly after moving on to new subjects, it's critical to have a way to index the information you don't want to forget in the future. Something along the lines of a "memex" (or external memory system) is a good metaphor for what I'm talking about.