Effective
Note-Taking
Michael Frizell, Director
MichaelFrizell@[Link]
Plato & Note-Taking
The act of
writing
something
down is
basically the
decision to
forget it.
Pictured: Aristotle & Homer
Note Taking Is A Skill
This takes
understanding
of what you're
doing
It takes
practice, which
involves effort
Note Taking Is Difficult
Spoken language is more
diffuse than written
Speaker's organization is
not immediately apparent
Immediate feedback
seldom occurs
Spoken language is quick,
and does not 'exist' for long
This makes analysis difficult
Four Purposes For Note Taking
Provides a written record
for review
Forces the listener to pay
attention
Requires organization,
which involves active
effort on the part of the
listener
Listener must condense
and rephrase, which aids
understanding
Physical Factors
Seating
Near the front and center
Vision is better
Hearing is better
Avoid distractions
Doorways, window
glare, etc.
Peers
Physical Factors
Materials
Two pens
Ink easier to read
You have a reserve
Wide-lined paper
Conference/Meeting date,
and topic clearly labeled
May use dividers
Plenty of blank paper in
back
Before Taking Notes
Prepare yourself mentally
Be sure of your purpose and
the speaker's purpose
They may not be the same
Review your notes and
other background material
Review your reading
assignment
Reading should be done
BEFORE class
Think through what has
happened in the class to
date
Before Taking Notes
Generate enthusiasm and
interest
Increased knowledge results in
increased interest
A clear sense of purpose on your
part will make the course content
more relevant
Acting as if you are interested can
help
Don't let the personality or
mannerisms of a speaker put you
off
What, not how, is important
Before Taking Notes
Be ready to understand
and remember
Anticipate what is to
come, and evaluate how
well you were able to do
this
We learn from failure
Decide How Much You
Are Going To Do
Are notes necessary?
Don't be lulled into a sense
of security by an effective
presentation
Hearing a thing once is
not enough. Memory
requires review and
understanding
While Taking Notes
Don't try for a verbatim transcript
Get all of the main ideas
Record some details, illustrations,
implications, etc.
Paraphrase
But remember that the speaker
may serve as a model
Integrate with other knowledge
you already have
But don't allow preconceived
notions to distort what you are
hearing
Use form to indicate relative
importance of items
Underscore or star major points
Leave plenty of white space for
later additions
While Taking Notes
Note speaker's
organization of material
Organization aids memory
Organization indicates gaps
when they occur
Be accurate
Listen carefully to what is
being said
Pay attention to qualifying
words like sometimes,
usually, rarely, etc.
Notice signals that a change
of direction is coming but,
however, on the other hand
While Taking Notes
Be an aggressive, not a
passive, listener
Ask questions and discuss if it's
permitted
If not, jot questions in your notes
Seek out meanings.
Develop a system of mechanics
Jot down words or phrases, not
entire sentences
Develop some system of
shorthand and be consistent in its
use
Leave out small service words
Use contractions and
abbreviations
Use symbols +, =, &, @
After Taking Notes
Review and reword them as soon
as possible
You should consider this in scheduling
your work load
Don't just recopy or type think!
" Reminiscing " may provide forgotten
material later
Rewrite skimpy parts
Fill in gaps as you remember points
Arrange with another to compare notes
Find answers to any questions
remaining unanswered
Write a brief summary of the event
After Taking Notes
Review and reword them as
soon as possible
We forget 50% of what we hear
immediately;
two months later, another 25% is
gone.
Relearning is rapid if regular review
is used
Compare the information with your
own experience
Don't swallow everything uncritically
Don't reject what seems strange or
incorrect. Check it out.
Be willing to hold some seeming
inconsistencies in your mind over a
period of time
Make meaningful associations
After Taking Notes
Sharpen your note
taking technique by
looking at your
colleagues' notes.
How are they better than
your own?
How are your notes
superior?
Practice those skills you
wish to develop
Cornell Note-Taking
Note just random thoughts!
Note Taking Area
make sure to leave large
spaces in your notes to add
information later!
Summaries Area
Write a brief summary of
that day's notes.
Cue or Question Column
write questions in the
margins
Cornell Note-Taking
Record
Reduce
Recite
Reflect
Review
Example
of
Cornell
System
Cornell Note-Taking
Questions in the
Margins:
Cornell works best
by creating
potential test
questions in the
margins.
Important! Always
use complete
questions.
Cornell Note-Taking
Summaries: May be paragraphs, or graphics like this:
Cornell Note-Taking:
Asking Questions
Most students ask only:
Who
What
When
Where
Why
How
Only works for fact-level questioning
Cornell Note-Taking:
Asking Questions
Blooms
Taxonomy
6 levels in the
cognitive domain
Range from
simple fact recall
to complex
evaluation of
data
Most student
only go as high
as Analysis.
Cornell Note-Taking:
Asking Questions
Knowledge
Terms
Facts
Methods
Procedures
Concepts
Principles
Comprehension
Uses implications
Justifies concepts
Verbal to Math skills
Charts / graphs
Cornell Note-Taking:
Asking Questions
Application
Theory to practice
Demonstration
Rules to situation
Creating Charts/graphs
Problem-solving.
Analysis
Recognizes assumptions
Recognizes poor logic
Distinguishes fact
Evaluates relevancy
Analyzes structure.
Cornell Note-Taking:
Asking Questions
Synthesis
Writes themes
Presents speeches
Plans experiments
Integrates information
Evaluation
Consistency
Data support
Uses standards
Sets Criteria
THANK YOU!
Michael Frizell,
Director
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
MichaelFrizell@[Link]
[Link]/writingcenter
