Chapter 4 Taking Notes

Prepare: Considering Your Goals Prepare: Considering Your Goals Organize: Getting the Tools of Notetaking Together Organize: Getting the Tools of Notetaking Together Work: Processing—Not Copying — Information Work: Processing—Not Copying — Information Evaluate: Thinking Critically About Your Notes Evaluate: Thinking Critically About Your Notes Rethink: Activating your Memory Rethink: Activating your Memory P.O.W.E.R. Plan

Prepare: Considering Your Goals Identify the instructor’s goals and your goals for the course—Read the Syllabus Identify the instructor’s goals and your goals for the course—Read the Syllabus Complete assignments before coming to class Complete assignments before coming to class Be prepared to listen to a lecture…even if the instructor is not the “best lecturer” Be prepared to listen to a lecture…even if the instructor is not the “best lecturer” Review the previous class notes Review the previous class notes Choose a seat in the classroom where you can see and hear Choose a seat in the classroom where you can see and hear

Organize: Get the Tools of Notetaking Together Bring the appropriate writing utensils and paper to class Bring the appropriate writing utensils and paper to class Choose the right type of notebook (loose- leaf usually preferred) Choose the right type of notebook (loose- leaf usually preferred) Write on only one side of the page Write on only one side of the page Take textbook to class Take textbook to class Consider taking a laptop computer to class Consider taking a laptop computer to class

Work: Processing— Do not Copy Information Active listening is different from “hearing” Active listening is different from “hearing” Listen for key ideas Listen for key ideas Search for the meta-message Search for the meta-message Listen for repetition Listen for repetition Look for nonverbal signals Look for nonverbal signals Use short phrases, not sentences for notes Use short phrases, not sentences for notes

Notetaking Experiment Listen as I read the following and take abbreviated notes: There are two kinds of job analyses used by human resource experts: There are two kinds of job analyses used by human resource experts: 1. job or task-oriented analyses 2. Worker or employee-oriented analyses How did you write your notes?

Notetaking Experiment Two kinds of job analyses Two kinds of job analyses –Job-oriented (task-oriented) –Worker-oriented (employee-oriented)

Take Notes in Outline Form I.Key Concept A. Main Idea A. Main Idea 1. Supporting Idea 2. Supporting Idea a. Specific details b. Specific details

Outline a Lecture Listen to the following five-minute lecture and take notes in outline format Listen to the following five-minute lecture and take notes in outline format After listening to the lecture: After listening to the lecture: –Did you all agree on the main ideas of each passage? –How are your notes different or similar? –How can you improve your notes?

Outline a Lecture Copy information from board or overhead Copy information from board or overhead Use different notetaking techniques for class discussions Use different notetaking techniques for class discussions Listen carefully during discussions for important ideas Listen carefully during discussions for important ideas Pay attention to instructor’s summary Pay attention to instructor’s summary Ask questions Ask questions

Improving Notetaking Getting Over Stage Fright Sit in front of room Sit in front of room Write down question before you ask it Write down question before you ask it Participate early in the semester by asking questions Participate early in the semester by asking questions Don’t wait for someone else to ask the first question in class Don’t wait for someone else to ask the first question in class

Special Techniques How do you cope with instructors who mumble, talk too fast, teach less than interesting lectures? How do you cope with instructors who mumble, talk too fast, teach less than interesting lectures? Ask questions Ask questions Ask for a conference and discuss with instructor your difficulty in keeping up Ask for a conference and discuss with instructor your difficulty in keeping up Meet with other students to compare notes Meet with other students to compare notes Record the lecture Record the lecture Report discriminatory or harassing remarks to a supervisor Report discriminatory or harassing remarks to a supervisor

Evaluate: Think Critically about Your Notes Do your notes represent what was covered in class? Do your notes represent what was covered in class? Do they reflect the emphases of the instructor? Do they reflect the emphases of the instructor? Are there any key points that are not clear? Are there any key points that are not clear? Do any points need to be clarified? Do any points need to be clarified?

Rethink: Activate Your Memory Transfer information from short- to long-term memory by rethinking the class lecture Transfer information from short- to long-term memory by rethinking the class lecture Use the 2 ½ inch column on the left-hand side of the page to jot down keywords, significant points, major concepts, controversies, and questions Use the 2 ½ inch column on the left-hand side of the page to jot down keywords, significant points, major concepts, controversies, and questions Create study notes that summarize key points Create study notes that summarize key points Use flashcards Use flashcards

Rethink: Activate Your Memory How many times have you said, “I don’t need to write it down, I’ll remember it?” How many times have you said, “I don’t need to write it down, I’ll remember it?” How many times have you remembered the information? How many times have you remembered the information?

Concept Mapping

Taking Notes as You Study Highlight, underline, circle and make notes in the margin of your text Highlight, underline, circle and make notes in the margin of your text Make flash cards (online courses often include these cards) Make flash cards (online courses often include these cards) For magazines or library books, copy down key ideas, definitions, formulas in outline or concept mapping form For magazines or library books, copy down key ideas, definitions, formulas in outline or concept mapping form

PREPARE ORGANIZE WORK EVALUATE RETHINK Consider your goals Get the tools of notetaking together Process—don’t copy— information Think critically about your notes Review your notes shortly after class to activate your memory P.O.W.E.R. Plan

Career Connections Taking notes effectively in meetings at work may provide a significant career advantage.

Note-Taking Make Easy by Judy Kesselman- Turkel and Franklynn Peterson (University of Wisconsin Press, 2003) Resources

Cornell Notetaking System: e-tak.php Cornell Notetaking System: e-tak.php e-tak.php e-tak.php Concept Mapping: douts/class1.html Concept Mapping: douts/class1.html douts/class1.html douts/class1.html For Disabled Students: ndout.html For Disabled Students: ndout.html ndout.html ndout.html Web Links

Journal Topics for 2/20/08 What do you feel you are successful at? What do you feel you are successful at? How did you accomplish that success? How did you accomplish that success? What can you apply from that experience that can help you with reaching your goals in college? What can you apply from that experience that can help you with reaching your goals in college?