Effective Listening & Note Taking Academic Support Unit Student Learning Support Center Adapted from: Practicing College Learning Strategies 3 rd edition Carolyn H. Hopper

The 3 levels of listening Active Listening: Active Listening: Full attention, direct involvement, feed back, encourages true dialogue. Full attention, direct involvement, feed back, encourages true dialogue. Passive Listening: Passive Listening: Hearing but not really listening, insufficient communication leads to misunderstanding Non-Listening: Non-Listening: None listener pays attention to himself, thinks about unrelated matters, thinks about what he wants to say next. None listener pays attention to himself, thinks about unrelated matters, thinks about what he wants to say next.

Improving Listening skills Put personal emotions aside during conversation. Put personal emotions aside during conversation. Ask questions. Ask questions. Paraphrase back the speaker words to clarify understanding. Paraphrase back the speaker words to clarify understanding. Overcome environment distractions. Overcome environment distractions. Eye contact and body language. Eye contact and body language.

The note taking process aids in learning: The more senses you employ in learning the more your learn: You hear the instructors lecture with your ears. You hear the instructors lecture with your ears. You see the written material on the board & you watch the instructor emphasize certain points with you eyes. You see the written material on the board & you watch the instructor emphasize certain points with you eyes. You use your sense of touch when you write your notes with your hands. You use your sense of touch when you write your notes with your hands.

Note taking & in-class skills To improve your In-class Skills: Come to the class prepared. Why? How? Come to the class prepared. Why? How? Come to the class as early as possible. Why? Come to the class as early as possible. Why? Sit in the front of the class where you can see and hear best. Sit in the front of the class where you can see and hear best. Listen with a pen or pencil in your hand. Listen with a pen or pencil in your hand. Think of questions as you are listening. Think of questions as you are listening.

Cont… Leave a few spaces blank as take notes so you can fill additional points later. Leave a few spaces blank as take notes so you can fill additional points later. Do not take down everything take only the main points. Do not take down everything take only the main points. Listen for verbal & nonverbal clues i.e. Listen for verbal & nonverbal clues i.e. important points, repetition, changes in voice inflections, lists of points. important points, repetition, changes in voice inflections, lists of points. Make your original notes legible enough for you. Make your original notes legible enough for you. Copy down every thing from the board. Copy down every thing from the board. Ask questions. Ask questions.

Why it is important to take notes? It Increases attention & concentration. It Increases attention & concentration. Encourages students to process info. to a deeper level. Encourages students to process info. to a deeper level. Provides a means of connecting new learning with prior knowledge. Provides a means of connecting new learning with prior knowledge.

The Cornell System for Note Taking The Cornell System for taking notes is an excellent way because: It is designed to take notes. It is designed to take notes. It saves your time. It saves your time. It limits rewriting of information It limits rewriting of information Three steps: before class, during the lecture & after the lecture. Three steps: before class, during the lecture & after the lecture.

First Step : Preparation Briefly review your notes and reading before class. Briefly review your notes and reading before class. Use a large, loose leaf notebook. Use a large, loose leaf notebook. Use one side of paper. Use one side of paper. Draw a vertical line 2.5 inches form the left side of your paper (Key column). Draw a vertical line 2.5 inches form the left side of your paper (Key column).

Label notes with question here 2.5 inches Put name, date, class & page number here Notes Column Take Telegraphic Notes Here Page prepared for Cornell System note-taking

Second Step : during the lecture Record notes on the right side of the page. Record notes on the right side of the page. Capture the main points. Capture the main points. Skip lines to show end of ideas or thoughts. Skip lines to show end of ideas or thoughts. Use abbreviation to save time. Use abbreviation to save time. Write Legibly. Write Legibly.

Third Step : After the Lecture Organize & review your notes ASAP after lecture. Organize & review your notes ASAP after lecture. Fill in info. & clarify parts of lecture by consulting the lecturer, classmate or your text book. Fill in info. & clarify parts of lecture by consulting the lecturer, classmate or your text book. Use the left column to jot down ideas, key words, questions, etc. Use the left column to jot down ideas, key words, questions, etc. Reread the lecture ideas and put them in your own words. Reread the lecture ideas and put them in your own words. Cover up the write hand portion of your notes and recite the general ideas & concepts of the lecture. Cover up the write hand portion of your notes and recite the general ideas & concepts of the lecture. Review your notes regularly. Review your notes regularly.

Remember: Remember: The Notes Taken will act as External Memory Device, and an Instrument to aid in Review and Recitation. This process leads to long term learning. The Notes Taken will act as External Memory Device, and an Instrument to aid in Review and Recitation. This process leads to long term learning.