NOTE TAKING SKILLS
One of the most important skills a student can learn in preparation for
college is that of taking good and effective notes. Below are quotes taken
from a website called EasyScript.com and which speak to the importance of
leaning note taking skills.
Note Taking
Lecture note-taking influences the academic success of all high school and
college students (Stahl, King, & Henk, 1991). As Spires and Stone (1989)
point out, students will "increasingly have to depend on their ability to
take notes in order to be successful in the classroom."
Using Abbreviations for Note-Taking
Lecture learning is prominent in college classrooms. Armbruster (2000)
reported that college students usually spend about 80% of class time
listening to lectures. If lecturing is the instructor's sacred cow, then
lecture note-taking is the students' "pet calf" (Titsworth & Kiewra, 2001).
The problem is that students typically record incomplete notes--usually 20-
40% of the important lecture ideas (O'Donnell & Dansereau, 1993). In
addition, approximately 80% of what is not noted is forgotten after two weeks
and it is of vital importance that note-taking skills are taught (Boon 1989).
Fisher and Harris (1994) found that students perform note-taking more
efficiently when they are allowed "to encode information" using
abbreviations. McKeachie (1994) suggests that abbreviating of spoken
information leads to an increase to the number of words in working memory and
improvement of subject retention. Boyle (2001) concluded that use of
abbreviations decreases hands and eyes engagement and enable to record spoken
information more efficiently.
The above site:
FIRST STEP TO GOOD NOTES
The first thing that should be understood is that if a teacher or professor
assigns a reading assignment to be done for the next class, it is probably
because that instructor intends to build on the information given in the
reading. To fully understand what is being talked about in the lecture that
next class, it is necessary to read the assignment. Failing to do so, means
that as a student will have no concept of what the instructor is talking
about and will miss half of the message from that class.
SECOND STEP TO GOOD NOTES
Always use the same notebook to take class notes. The notebook should also
contain pockets if the teacher or professor is prone to passing out handouts
in class. Be prepared when coming to class… have a pen or pencil and the
notebook handy ready to take notes from the very beginning of class.
THIRD STEP TO GOOD NOTES
Students should develop a form of “note-hand” which will be useful when
keeping up with the teacher or professor. NOTE: MOST PROFESSORS IN COLLEGE
LECTURE TO OVER 100 STUDENTS AT A TIME. THEY WILL NOT REPEAT NOTES THEY ARE
GIVING… STUDENTS HAVE TO FIND THEIR OWN WAY TO KEEP UP. This means
developing good “note-hand.”
WHAT IS GOOD “NOTE-HAND”?
Note-hand is simplifying words which are repeated or phrases which are used
commonly into some form of abbreviation which will be easily recognizable
when studying the notes. For example: in a Geography class, the
words “geography”, “geographical”,
“geo-politcal” and other such words beginning with “geo…” will be used
often. A student could easily develop a note-hand symbol which begins
with “geo… but by its ending would know exactly what was meant in the
lecture. Put another way: geography could be written in note-hand as “Geo-
y”, geographical could become “Geo-l”, and
geo-political would be “Geo-pol” and so on. This is not to say that this is
the only way to translate these terms but it is an example of how a student
should develop his own note-hand.
WHAT FORMAT WORKS BEST?
Most students find that a good format to use is a basic outline format using
indentations and dashes to indicate that the items following the dash relate
to the item above.
For example:
Tenet – a belief or doctrine held in common by members of a group
– tenets & practices w/in the Church are 2 diff (note-hand = “different”)
things
– people should not quit a church because of a pract (= practice),
hold on to
the tenets.
WHAT THING SHOULD BE WRITTEN DOWN?
To determine what to write as a note look for clues. First, if the
instructor writes something on the blackboard or display-screen this is so it
will be spelled correctly in your notes. Second, if something is said
slowly, with emphasis, or is repeated … then it is probably meant to be
remembered. Third, if an instructor spells out a word, or makes reference
that it is important, or will be seen later, write it down. It is probably
important. Lastly, if something is said in a lecture that was in the READING
assigned the previous class, then it is definitely important. This is the
reason why reading an assignment is extremely necessary … it helps to show
exactly what is very important in that chapter.
WHAT IF I MISS SOMETHING?
One way to make sure that the notes contain all that they should contain is
to compare notes with other students. Study groups in college are especially
good for this purpose. Also, if there is any confusion about something that
was said, do not be afraid to ask a question to help clarify the
information. Depending on the size and temperament of class, this may be
done during the class, or sometimes it is best to wait until after the
class. If the class is large and a good deal of material is covered on a
regular basis, the instructor will more like answer questions only after the
class, when he has more time to clarify the information.
PROPER OUTLINING SKILLS:
To learn how to form a proper outline, either copy and paste the URL below
into your browser’s address line or retype it into the address line and tell
it to go or search…
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/
