2. Objectives for this topic
a. Stimulate your thoughts about what
you do in this area.
b. Help to make you aware of strengths
and weaknesses
c. Encourage an ‘active learning’
approach
3. Definition
we use the words 'note-making' rather than 'note-
taking' as it more accurately reflects a process where
you are actively involved, rather than the idea of
passively copying the words of others word-for-word
without thought or discrimination.
Note-making from written sources involves reading,
questioning, evaluating, summarising and
paraphrasing. Whether you are at university or at
work you will need to make notes to help you
remember and understand complex issues. By
actively engaging in the process you will find that
note-making is not a painful or boring process, but is
one of the steps on the road to understanding.
4. Where do we take notes from?
From written sources:
books, articles.
From lectures.
From audio devices:
Radio, TV, telephone.
5. Why do we need to make notes?
To record and store information
Permanent record of lecture
Relevant information from book
To organise information - revision
To act as memory hooks - retention
To aid understanding, process ideas
Efficient note-making is absolutely
essential to effective learning.
6. Importance of Notes
Purpose is crucial – have questions to answer
Variety of styles for varying needs
active learning – helps concentration
Creates material for later use in exams or
essays/projects – aids retention
Personal record of understanding
(cf using somebody else’s notes).
Own words – avoids plagiarism
Make bibliographic record - at this stage!
7. Notes from lectures
Active or Passive?
Copying down what you see on a screen or black board.
A or P?
Writing down things the lecturer says. A or P?
Writing down your own thoughts and ideas. A or P?
Asking the lecturer questions. A or P?
Asking yourself questions-jotting them down to research
later. A or P?
Answering questions posed by the lecturer
Doing calculations, solving problems, evolving a personal
response
Yawning, shuffling, fidgeting, watching fellow students
Thinking about other things
Looking at the lecturer, blackboard or the screen
Discussing things with students near you, when directed to
do so by the lecturer.
8. Using SQ3R
Survey.
Question.
Read / Listen
Recall,
Review
See “Efficient Reading” on S4L or
attend the workshop
9. Survey - Lectures
Are the lecture notes available in advance
(e.g. on WebCT)?
You can however still prepare for the lecture in
advance.
What is the lecture going to be about? Title?
Where does this fit in to the subject area/module?
What do you know about this topic already?
Can you read a book chapter or an article
beforehand? General background?
This will give you an overall map or framework in
your mind; can fit the new information into this.
10. Question - Lectures
Pose questions in your mind or on
paper - before the lecture.
What do you expect to learn?
Amend the list as lecture progresses
what is not clear?
further reading suggests itself
You may even get the opportunity to
pose the questions directly.
11. Listen
Attend
Listen
Participate
Make notes
Ask questions if opportunity
Talk to other people (when appropriate!)
Remember, listening is an active
learning process not a passive process of
mere recording of information
12. Listening Skills
Many people admit to being a bit
“hard of hearing”, but fewer admit to
the much more common condition of
being “hard of listening”.
Phil Race
Professor of Education Development
University of Glamorgan
13. Making Notes - Lectures
Don’t try to write everything down
Listen for ‘sign-posts’ “Secondly,…”
What is the main point of this bit?
Summarise in own words
Flag topics you want to re-visit
further reading, alternative view
Leave room for re-visiting
wide margin; double spacing
14. Survey – Printed Material
Read the ‘blurb’ or preface (book)
Read the abstract (journal article)
Look at the table of contents
of relevant chapter or section
Are there sub-headings?
What do I know already? (e.g. lectures)
Any summaries?
Bullet points? List of learning outcomes?
Tables? Charts? Diagrams?
Identify what needed – NOT whole book!
15. Question – Printed Material
Have in mind the questions you want
answered by your reading
Will give purpose and focus
brainstorm on the essay topic
For research proposal I need….
Write a list of questions
Continue to question…
How does this fit with prior knowledge?
Is this information useful to my purpose?
What further questions have arisen?
16. Read
“Pre –read”
Title, date, abstract, conclusion (article)
List of objectives, introduction, any
“boxes”, summary at end of section
Skim-read or scan for relevance
Read only relevant text
Tables, charts are information-rich
Read actively – critically, evaluate.
Make notes in next stage
17. Making Notes – Printed Material
This assists in Recall
Write down key-words from each
paragraph/section
Express the main ideas in your own
words – counters plagiarism
Full bibliographic ref. for that source
See “Quote, Unquote” for details
Direct quotation – copy exactly
Remember page number if from a book
18. Ways to make notes from written
sources.
1.Key word outlines.
2.Prose summaries.
3.Diagrammatic notes.
(spider diagrams, mind maps)
Leave room to add comments later
Half width of page; well spaced
Write critically – question arguments
Author’s perspective? Alternative views?
relate to own existing knowledge
Everything needed from that source
Should not need that book, article again!
19. Review
Re-read lecture notes within 24 hours
Great aid to long-term memory
Handwriting, spelling, abbreviations!
Critically review your notes:
Are the original questions answered?
More information needed? What sources?
Relate to previous learning; look back at
earlier lecture, or other, relevant notes
Do you need to expand on your notes so
that you can use them better later?
20. Create your own short hand.
greater than ..... less than
very much greater/less than
leads to/causes, implies
increase(s) ..... decrease(s)
about (concerning)
therefore ..... because
six hundred thousand
about (approximately)
Question (strongly!)
subject-specific terms: e.g. psychology, -ical:
consistent abbreviations !
21. Create your own short hand.
greater than ..... less than > <
very much greater/less than » «
leads to/causes, implies → =>
increase(s) ..... decrease(s) ↑ ↓
about (concerning) re
therefore ..... because
six hundred thousand 600K
about (approximately) c. ~
Question (strongly!) ? (? ? ?)
subject-specific terms: e.g. psychology, -ical: Ψ
consistent abbreviations !