Step three of the process is to PhotoRead all the books the day before activation. Why are you spending 45 minutes PhotoReading a book anyway?
As for activation I personally suggest 4 20 minute blocks. During my class I give 30 minutes for one syntopic read however I interrupt that with a short activityat about 15 minuts. If it were 40 or 45 the interruption would be at least 5 minutes at the 20 minute mark.
Remember your purpose... You looking for a sentence from each book during the first cycle Step 5, repeat step 5 and then summarise. The cycle through looking for themes.
The last paragraph in step 8 explains what you should be doing through the whole process.
For many in my class the 30 minutes for a Syntopic reading lays more than half the foundation for their purpose.The most I think any of them would probably send after the inital 30-minutes is perhaps another 10 to 20-minutes at the most.
That is, they can bring a syntopic mind map to completion in 50-minutes.
For a research paper you might want to do more. However I suggest do it in 20 minute blocks and allow it to incubate each night as you build it.
Alex
