NOTE TAKING:
Do you find that you have trouble taking notes in class? Do you find that you can't keep up with all the information you are being given while you take notes and so miss important points? Have you ever had difficulty understanding your own notes? Do you try to take notes just by writing down what your professor puts on the board? If so, you might need to try a different style of note taking.
Note taking seems simple. You take what the professor says and you write it down in your notebook. Later you go back to your notebook and you can easily study everything which the professor covered in the class lecture. This is how it works, right? Unfortunately, no.
It simply is not possible to write down every word that your professor says in class, and it is really not necessary. If you could take notes like this, you would end up with a lot more material to study and not all of it would be relevant. The important thing is to be able to get down the main points of the lecture and the details which your professor is providing you with to support those points.
It is natural to be a little confused about what the main points of the lecture are going to be but there are a couple of quick tips you should be aware of that can really help.
- Read the assigned reading for the class BEFORE class. The reading has been assigned for a reason and it usually relates pretty closely to the lecture. If you know what was covered in the reading, you already have an idea of what the important points are going to be. You will start out a step ahead. Even better, you will be able to take quicker notes because you will already have an understanding of what is being covered.
- Pay attention to the professor and ask questions. It may seem like a bit of a no-brainer, but failing to pay attention or ask questions is a difficulty which is really easy to slip into. Your professor will usually have a reason why information is being presented in the way that it is, and by paying close attention you will probably be able to understand the method. This will help you to figure out the information which your professor thinks is the most important (and really this is what you will be tested on). If you don't understand the professor's style or the content, ask questions or see the professor after class.
- Be sure to follow anything which the professor puts on the board or presents in a slideshow. These cues will usually highlight some of the key points which the professor feels are particularly important. However, don't make the mistake of assuming that if you just jot down everything which appears on the board you are going to have good notes. You need to pay attention to what is said about whatever has been presented and to be sure to get that into your notes too!
Once you know what to listen for and have a good idea of what needs to be captured in your note-taking efforts, the next step is to actually find a method of getting the notes onto paper in a format that works for you. There a number of different systems and some will work better for different individuals and classes.
THE CORNELL METHOD
This note-taking style is a straightforward way to get the information down on paper and then to systematically organize it. Using this format also provides a ready-made study tool to make sure that you actually remember all the notes you have been studying.
To begin, draw a vertical line dividing your note paper in two so that you have an area (about 2 or 3 inches should be enough) in the left hand margin. Write down your notes, summarizing the main points of the lecture, to the right side of this margin. As your professor moves onto a new topic, be sure to skip several lines before beginning a new note. Leave the bottom of your page of notes empty. After class, take a couple of minutes to fill in any information you could not get down in the lecture in the spaces you skipped. Then, to the left of the vertical line you have drawn, write down a cue or keyword to help you organize the information. Using the space left at the bottom of the page, write out a brief summary of the information which is covered on this page.
To study using this technique, just cover up the notes portion and try to remember as clearly as possible all the information you have written down using only your keyword. Then, uncover the note portion to see how well you have mastered the information.
Example:
Parts of Essays can be broken down into three separate parts: the
an Essay introduction (introducing the topic and providing the thesis
statement), the body (providing supporting evidence for the
thesis such as quotations and references), and the conclusion
(restating the thesis and summarizing the main points).
THE OUTLINE METHOD
This note-taking style provides an easy way to organze information but requires a better understanding of the "big picture" of the lecture and class.
Information is arranged spatially (through indentations) on the notepaper based on the interrelation of ideas as they are presented by the professor. List the main points of the lecture right up against the left-hand margin of the page. Supporting information is indented under the primary heading to show the relationships between the information, working much like a PowerPoint presentation: Main Point followed by indented Supporting Information. Be sure to take a couple of minutes after class to fill in any areas which you skipped and to highlight areas which you might have questions about.
This note-taking method can be very effective if you are able to organize the information clearly. When done well, this type of note taking makes review very easy as the relationships between ideas are clear. However, in a fast-moving lecture it can be very difficult to keep up with the professor and this method of note taking can easily become confusing if poorly organized.
Example:
Essays have three parts:
Introduction: Introducing the topic and providing the thesis statement
Body: Providing supporting evidence for the thesis
Ex. Quotations and References
Conclusion: Restating the thesis and summarizing the main points.
THE MAPPING METHOD
The mapping method of note taking relies on students' ability to understand the material and provides a visual representation of the content of the lecture. This method is particularly useful for those who learn best visually.
Essentially this method works by literally "mapping" out the content of the lecture. Each main point is centered in the page with supporting evidence placed under or around the main point and connected by lines. Using this format makes it easy to get the information from the lecture but does require slightly more work as you review. It is necessary to carefully go over "mapped" notes after class to make sure that the information has been arranged in such a way that you are capable of understanding your notes later.
It can be helpful to turn this format into a series of flash cards for review as you will be forced to restate each point individually.
Example:
ESSAYS
3 parts
Introduction Body Conclusion
Introduce Topic Supporting Evidence Restate Thesis
Thesis Statement Quotations/References Summarize
THE CHARTING METHOD
This method of note taking can be particularly useful in situations which use a strictly set format and which provide little variation in the presentation method.
Begin by determining the categories which will be covered in the lecture and write these columns out before class on your note paper. In class listen closely to each of these categories and place all the important information into the appropriate category.
This is a useful method to taking down the information as the amount of actual writing is limited. As you have already arranged for a structure all that is necessary is to place the information into the correct category. This is a very good way to take down a great deal of information quickly and systematically.
A major drawback to this note taking style is that it allows for very little variation in the lecture you need to know in advance what the categories are going to be.
Example:
American History
Person Time Period Major Events Special Notes
Abraham Lincoln 1861-1865 American Civil War
1/1/1863 Emancipation Proclamation
4/14/1865 Assassinated Shot in a theater by
John Wilkes Booth
