The Basics of Note Taking

A Key to Academic Success

What do you know about note taking?

Why is it important to take good notes?

Promotes Active ListeningProvides Accurate Record of InfoMakes You Restructure Information

Interpret (give meaning) Condense Organize

Provides RepetitionHelps you learn more quickly

NoteTaking:Why?

Note taking is an important part of academic life.

To be successful at note taking, you need to: Improve your listening skills. Develop your note taking skills. Be able to use your notes to study.

Like All Skills

•Practice everyday.

•Listening and note taking improves

with practice.

Characteristics of Good Notes

Good Notes: •Are Organized

•Distinguish Main Points from Details

•Include Examples

•Indicate Lecture Patterns

•Allow for Self Testing

•Stand the Test of Time

•Use Abbreviations

Note taking does not = Dictation

Note taking is writing complete ideas

Dictation is writing complete sentences.

Dictation:

Example

History 1002 meets 2 days a week, from 10:00 am to 10:50.

Hist 1002 •2d/wk •10 – 10:50 am

Notes:

Helpful Strategies for Taking Notes:

Listen for Key Words/Points Abbreviate Focus Find Main Ideas and Concepts Use Your Words Cues and Clues Review

Key Words and Points

Do not write everything

Even if you could write everything, it would result in wasted words and time.

Make point from notes which look for the key ideas.

Abbreviate

Develop a set of abbreviations that make sense to you - it saves valuable writing time.

e.g. For example

w/ with

w/o without

etc. and so on

vs against

m a million

mkt market

Some common general abbreviations

FocusTry to focus on getting terms, quotes and examples (things that will likely be important later).

Ideas & ConceptsPerhaps most important of all, look for the central ideas and concepts of the lecture, not just facts.

Use Your Words Try to put things in your own words

when you can. However, this may not always be

possible or even a good thing because the presenter's words may be more precise and meaningful than your own way of expressing things

Cues & Clues Listen for presenter's cues that inform

you that important material is coming.

Three examples of cue phrases: “In conclusion …” “The most important thing …” “We could summarize by …”

ReviewAs soon as you can after the class,

review your notes. Share with other students since

they may have picked up something you missed.

A great way to learn the material is to teach it to someone else.

Use headings to organize ideas.

Gas Use Factors

Europe U.S

Less good hwys More $$ cheap gas More trains auto ind. +pub transp. oil comp.

To create headings use:

• CAPITAL LETTERS

• BOXES

• underline

• - - indent below the heading

Studies on worldwide literacy rates show that almost 80 percent of the world’s population over the age of 15 is now literate. This includes more women than ever before.

Take notes on this sentence

One way to write this info

• ww literacy rt = almost 80 % world pop over 15 yrs now literate

• grtr # of women than bef

UNESCO’s study shows a drop in illiteracy from twenty-two percent of the world population in 1995 to twenty percent in 2000.

Take notes on this sentence

illiteracy ww pop 1995 2000 22% 20%

The Battle of Palmito Ranch, also known as the Battle of Palmito Hill, was fought between Union Army and Confederate States Army forces on May 12–13, 1865 near Brownsville, Texas. It was the last land battle of any size or significance of the American Civil War.

Take notes on this sentence

Battle of Palmito Ranch/Hill•Union vs Confd.•May, 1865•Brownsville, TX•Last battle Civil War

Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change. Geology can also refer generally to the study of the solid features of any celestial body (such as the geology of the Moon or Mars).

Take notes on this sentence

Geology•Study of

• Sld Earth, • Rocks• Processes of change• Sld features of any celestial

body i.e. the moon/Mars

3 keys to green env. int.

1- educate public

2- improve tech.

3-incr. demand for recy.ing

The three keys to creating a green environment initiative are educating the public, improving technology, and increasing the demand for recycling.

Take notes on this sentence

Remember

•Get the big picture!

•Rewrite your notes.

•Develop your own style and…

Practice, practice, practice.