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November 21, 2004
Effective Notetaking
1. NOTETAKING IS A SKILL
This takes understanding of what you're doing
It takes practice, which involves effort
2. NOTETAKING IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE:
Spoken language is more diffuse than written
Speaker's organization is not immediately apparent
Spoken language is quickly gone
This makes analysis difficult
3. FOUR PURPOSES FOR NOTETAKING:
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
4. PHYSICAL FACTORS
Seating
Near the front and center
Vision and hearing are better
Avoid distractions
Doorways, window glare, etc.
Peers
Materials
Two pens
Wide-lined, easy-eye paper
Date and topic written on paper
Plenty of blank paper in back
5. BEFORE TAKING NOTES
Prepare yourself mentally
Be sure of your purpose and the speaker's purpose
Review your notes and other background material if available
Generate enthusiasm and interest
Increased knowledge results in increased interest
A clear sense of purpose on your part will make the speaker's content more relevant
Be ready to understand and remember
Anticipate what is to come, and evaluate how well you were able to do this
6. 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
Reflective study
7. PRACTICE TLQR TECHNIQUE
Tune-in
Listening takes energy
Look at the speaker
Mannerisms will give extra clues
Looking helps focus attention
Question
Nothing will generate interest so much as an appropriate question
Listen
Be selective. Some things are more important than others.
Be alert for speaker emphasis through:
Tone or gesture
Repetition
Use of cue words such as: remember, most important, etc.
Illustration on board
Reference to text
Note especially new words and ideas
Note especially those ideas which conflict with your own picture of the world
"Odd" ideas are difficult to understand initially and require extra effort
You remember things which support your existing concepts, and forget those things which disagree
Review
Glance back over material from time to time to see if a pattern is emerging, if consistency is being maintained, etc.
If possible, clarify points during or after the lecture
8. 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
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
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. Look for implications beyond what is being said
Relate the material to your other classes and your life outside of school
Develop a suitable system of mechanics
Jot down words or phrases, not entire sentences
Develop some system of shorthand and be consistent in its use
Hr s sntnc wth vwls lft t
Leave out small service words
Use contractions and abbreviations
Use symbols: +, =, &, @
Try to get the hang of listening and writing at the same time. It can be done.
You may practice listening to the news on TV and taking notes
9.AFTER TAKING NOTES
Review and reword them as soon as possible
Don't just recopy or type without thought
"Reminiscencing" may provide forgotten material later
Rewrite incomplete or skimpy parts in greater detail
Fill in gaps as you remember points heard but not recorded
Arrange with another student to compare notes
Use your notes as a learning tool
Review at spaced intervals
Spaced effort is more effective than the same effort spent cramming
We forget 50% of what we hear immediately; two months later, another 25% is gone. But relearning is rapid if regular review is used
Compare the information in your notes 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
Memorize that which must be memorized
Sharpen your notetaking technique by looking at other students' notes. How are they better than your own? How are your notes superior?
Practice those skills you wish to develop
Posted by Ryan at November 21, 2004 04:37 AM