Reading Textbooks & Note-taking

Presenter: Esther Chung

Academic & Learning Strategist

Listening is important

“Hearing is a spontaneous act. Listening, by contrast, is something you choose to do. Listening requires you not only to hear what has been said but to understand as well.”

~ Cuesta College

Forgetting after the lecture

The Forgetting Curve

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Class

Ends

10 min. 24 hours 1 week 1 month

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Ebbinghaus

After Class

Beat the Curve

Forgetting curve would start

here if we could remember

everything after a lecture

Forgetting curve would actually start

here as we typically remember only

about 75% at the end of a lecture – so

we have less to remember

However, you have the potential to

forget less PLUS remember more if

you review immediately after class

dementia.hiim.hr/Beat_FC.ppt

Overcoming the Curve

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Class 10 min. 24 hrs. 1 wk. 1 mo.

Re

me

mb

ere

d % Ebbinghaus

Review 1

Review 2

Review 3

Review 4

Immediately

after class

24 hours

later

1 week later

(or sooner)

1 month

later (or

sooner)

Notice how less is

forgotten after

each review!!

Note-taking tips

Active listening will help you to understand and

remember

Note-taking helps to understand the ‘gist’

of the lecture

Don’t repeat points on the slides;

expand upon them

Cornell Note-Taking System (PQ5R)

BEFORE CLASS

• Prepare & Question

DURING CLASS

• Write

AFTER CLASS

• Reduce

• Recite

• Reflect

• Recapitulate

• Review

During Class: Write

Course Name Date

Topic

Key column

Science: Write

key

terms/rules/

questions here

Arts:

Statement,

Proof/Info/Ex

2.5 inches

(within 24 hours)

Notes column

Write full notes here (use your preferred style)

8 inches

Write summary here

(Turn proofs/formulae into

words)

Note Taking Practice

Listen to the lecture and take notes. Yale Lecture Development of Thought

Mind mapping

Mind Map: A diagram used to represent ideas linked to and arranged around a central key word

• See relationships between and with ideas

• Improves memory

• Adaptive to learning styles

• Stay focused

• Pre-made study aid

Advantages of mind mapping

Created by Daniel Tay www.tayxiongsheng.com

Example of a Mind Map

Course: Introductory Psychology: Part II (PSYA02)

Lifestyle & Stress

Factors

Lifestyle

Nutrition

Smoking

Smoking

Exercise

Nutrition

Alcohol

Increase in Saturated

fat

Still popular despite

health risks

Increase in Death rate in

countries with high fat diets

Leads to Heart disease

Leads to Cancer

Quitting triggers withdrawal

symptons:

Sweating

Anxiety

Sketchnotes

• A visual map of what you are seeing, hearing and thinking

A wonderful description of SWOT analysis by

Ivan Seymus from sketchnotearmy.com

Advantages of Sketch-notes

You’ll be more likely to review them later

Forces you to stay focused and engaged

It’s fun to draw in class!

Enhances memory through dual coding

But what if I can’t draw?

From The Sketchnote Handbook,

M. Rodhe, 2013

Schetchnoting Tips

Resources to Improve your Note-taking

Books in the AA & CC Library:

Learning for Success

– Chapter 7

The Everything Study Book – Chapter 3

Keeping Up With The Reading

Improve Your Reading

Group & 1-on-1 support:

Going from B to an A Time Management Exam Preparation

Study Skills Drop-Ins Tipsheets

Active Listening & Notetaking

Study Skills Services

Time Management

Please take a moment to complete the evaluation.

Good luck!!!

ANY QUESTIONS???