8/20/2010 Smooth Transitions "How to become an expert note-taker" Note taking in 10 Basic StepsRead Now![]() This is the first topic of our "Smooth Transition Series" which is dedicated to students entering the Secondary School System for the very first time. Ask anyone who has gone through the Secondary School System and they would tell you that one of the biggest challenges they experienced was adjusting to the style of teaching in the Secondary School System. No longer did teachers write notes on the board for students, no longer were they taught by just one or two teachers and of course the concept of the double and triple period. Today we will be looking at the issue of note-taking. Students entering Secondary School for the first time should note that perfecting the art of note-taking is important for their academic success. This is due to the fact that teachers will no longer be writing every piece of information on the board. Instead of writing the information on the board, teachers will be discussing the topics with the expectation that students will be making notes from these discussions. This is where good note-taking skills come into play. To assist you in developing your note taking skills, the Grade A Blogger has compiled a few tips. Ten Basic Steps: 1. Don’t write down everything that you read or hear. Be alert and attentive to the main points. Concentrate on the "meat" of the subject and forget the trimmings. 2. Notes should consist of key words, or very short sentences. As a speaker gets side-tracked you can go back and add further information. 3. Take accurate notes. You should usually use your own words, but try not to change the meaning. If you quote directly from the author, quote correctly. 4. Think a minute about your material before you start making notes. Don’t take notes just to be taking notes! Take notes that will be of real value to you when you look over them later. 5. Have a uniform system of punctuation and abbreviation that will make sense to you. Use a skeleton outline, and show importance by indenting. Leave lots of white space for later additions. 6. Omit descriptions and full explanations. Keep your notes short and to the point. Condense your material so you can grasp it rapidly. 7. Don’t worry about missing a point. Leave space and try to pick up the material you miss at a later date, either through reading, questioning, or common sense. 8. Don’t keep notes on oddly shaped pieces of paper. Keep notes in order and in one place. 9. Shortly after making your notes, go back and rework (not recopy!) your notes by adding extra points, spelling out unclear items, etc.. Remember, we forget quickly. Budget time for this vital step just as you do for the class itself. 10. Review your notes periodically. This is the only way to achieve lasting memory. Taking Useful Notes:* 1. Use dashes for words when the speaker goes too fast. Leave space so that you can fill in details later. 2. Use symbols to call attention to important words: underline, CAPS, circle, box, *, !, ?, or › . 3. When the instructor says, "this is important" get it exactly and * (mark it). Get a reference to the text or other source if you can. 4. Don’t erase a mistake and don’t black it out completely. Draw a single line through it. This saves time and you may discover later that you want the mistake. 5. Abbreviate – Shortcuts, such as abbreviations, are alternatives to writing everything longhand. Abbreviate only if you will be able to understand your won symbols when you go back to study your notes. Be constantly on the lookout for new and useful abbreviations and symbols to shorten your writing time. This will also increase your listening time. Commonly Used Symbols and Abbreviations: & and No. or # number = equal to, is the same as b/4 before ref. reference w/ with > greater than < less than i.e. that is vs. versus, as opposed to e.g., for example etc. et cetera Q. question b/c because w/o without By following these tips you will be on your to becoming an expert note-taker and an A student in no time! *From "*How to Succeed in College" by Gerow & Lyng and "Study Skills: A Student’s Guide for Survival" by Carman & Adams, Jr
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