Note taking
- 1. NOTE TAKING
- 2. EFFECTIVE NOTE TAKING Whatever technique you use, effective note taking has three parts: 1. Read. Active reading – use the SQ3R technique, think about what you have just read (read in chunks), test comprehension (formulate a question that has the information you have read as the answer), etc. You need to understand the material before you take notes. 2. Record. Make notes – capture your understanding of the material in your own words. Reformat and condense the information – use a variety of techniques. Select the best approach for the information, and the purpose of the notes. 3. Review – memorise, test yourself, apply what you learn, and link it to what you already know.
- 3. NOTE TAKING METHODS Remember that making notes is a learning activity. Select the best method for the information and what you want to use it for: • Mind maps – good for overviews of topics or subjects. Good for organising your thoughts on a subject. • Bullet points – short notes that capture the main ideas of a subject. Good for ease of reference – can support a mind map. • Summaries – in your own words. Helpful to check your understanding. • Cornell study system • Flow or spray notes – a good way of taking notes of processes, or step by step procedures. Good at capturing decision making processes – ‘if X, then Y’
- 4. MIND MAPPING • Getting started – write down key words about all the ideas and information you know about the topic. Don’t try to impose any structure at this point. • A sun diagram is a good way to start.
- 5. Once you have your ideas on paper then you can start to create a mind map to organise them. By hand, on paper, landscape. Central idea – the main topic Thick theme lines – the main concepts or organising ideas Thin theme lines – lead off the thick ones and represent the ideas, concepts or information within the main concepts. Labels – keep text to a minimum. Labels are there to stimulate your memory. Make it fun and memorable – Use colour, pictures and cartoons etc. Good for overviews of topics, not so good for detail. Link to a page of bullet notes for key details?
- 6. CORNELL NOTE TAKING• A study system. Divide the page as shown. Once you understand the topic (active reading), make brief, bullet point notes in your own words in the main area (record). • Then in the cue column at the left record the key words and also questions to which the information in the notes is the answer. • What questions would a tutor ask to get that information as a reply? • Then, cover up the main area and jot down on scrap paper your answers to those questions (no peeking). Check your answers. At the bottom write a summary of the key features and main, high level ideas in the notes. (Review)
- 7. FLOW CHART NOTES • This example sets out the flows of nutrients in the soil. • Any process, or decision- making tree (“if A, then B”), can be represented in a flow chart. • If you can construct a flow chart, then you understand the process!