Topic 7 Note Making & Note Taking Skills

8/19/2019 Topic 7 Note Making & Note Taking Skills

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INTRODUCTION

You will discover that throughout your course, you have to read various types ofinformation resources such as your course module, handouts and notes fromyour tutors as well as a variety of reference materials in print and electronicformat from the Tan Sri Dr Abdullah Sanusi Digital Library. There is no otherway to deal with all the information resources that you have obtained andsuccessfully retrieved from the various sources and resources except to reducethem to notes.

In the context of learning at OUM, you will find that note-taking and note-making are part and parcel of learning, be it from the module, tutorials, books,

journals or the Internet. You must, however, realise that note-taking and note-making do not mean taking down every word that the tutor says or copyingverbatim every word found in books, journals and websites.

TTooppiicc

77 Note-making

and Note-takingSkills

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this topic, you should be able to:

1. Differentiate between annotation, outline notes, column notes,mind maps and summary notes;

2. Develop skills in making notes from printed matter; and

3. Use the note-taking suggestions to develop good notes based onclassroom discussions.


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TOPIC 7 NOTE-MAKING AND NOTE-TAKING SKILLS 181

What to note down, how much to note down and how detailed the notes should be, are important skills to be learned. It is critical, therefore for you to develop basic skills in note-taking and note-making because the ability to take good notes

will save you the time and effort that could better be applied to your studies.

If you are able to take and make good notes, you will save time in terms of:

(a) Having to look for the original text; or

(b) Having to look through massive piles of notes just to retrieve the specificinformation that you need.

In this topic, you will be introduced to the various techniques of note-makingand note-taking.

WAYS OF WRITING NOTES

There is no one proper way to write notes. It is personal and a matter ofpreference. It also depends on the situation and the purpose of writing notes. Forexample, making notes from the module or other print resources is different fromtaking notes at tutorials or group discussions, in that it may be easier to makenotes from the „passive‰ module whereas „live‰ or „dynamic‰ sessions likediscussions are more difficult because the information coming forth is not

organised but spontaneous. Here, we will learn five different ways of writingnotes:

(a) Annotation;

(b) Outline notes;

(c) Column notes;

(d) Mind maps; and

(e) Summary notes.

7.1.1 Annotation

This is a suitable method for making notes from print modules, textbooks,articles or any other resources. You can make notes by writing in the margins,underlining facts, highlighting the main points, using question marks, ticks orcrosses to show whether you agree or disagree with the points made in the textas illustrated in Figure 7.1. This method will help you to not only remember themain points, but will also enable you to remember without having to read thetext all over again.

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If you do not like writing in the books, you may want to use strips of paper tomark the pages with the notes written on the strips. The test of good annotationis when you „revisit‰ the book; you should understand the notes without having

to read the pages, the topic or paragraph all over again.

Figure 7.1: An example of annotation

7.1.2 Outline Notes

Use only keywords and phrases. The notes are usually sequentially numbered, orheadings, subheadings and indentation can be used. Figure 7.2 illustrates theformat for outline notes.

Figure 7.2: An example of the outline format of note-making


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7.1.3 Column Notes

The column format of note-making as shown in Figure 7.3 is more appropriate

for Mathematics and Science courses. Column notes are useful for listing downthe steps, explanation of procedures, or for comparison between items, etc.

Figure 7.3: An example of the column format of note-making

7.1.4 Mind Maps

Mind maps do not follow a linear sequence. The main topic forms the nucleus,while the main ideas and concepts branch out from it. A mind map showsrelationships among ideas and concepts, with lines serving as links. Figure 7.4shows an example of a mind map.

Figure 7.4: An example of a mind map


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7.1.5 Summary Notes

You may prefer to summarise text information when making notes. Summary

notes are a condensed version of the information, written in paragraph form, asshown in Figure 7.5. If you decide to summarise your text information, you needto break down the topic into smaller chunks or parts. Sometimes, you may optfor this method of making notes when you cannot construct some sort of topicand subtopic organisation because there is none.

Figure 7.5: An example of summary notes

MAKING NOTES FROM PRINTED MATTER

In writing notes from your module or other resources, the following are somesuggestions. (Bear in mind that you can apply the annotation, outline notes,column notes, mind maps and summary notes methods to produce effectivenotes).

(a)

Understand the objectives, so that notes are more focused on what isimportant in the topic.

(b) Read the whole topic and then try to summarise it in a few sentences inyour own words. Do not take notes while reading through the topic

because you will tend to write too much. Use the note-making techniquesthat have been suggested.

(c) Leave spaces in between notes, to allow for additions or changes later.

(d) Reread the topic and improve on the notes, providing more details.

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(e) Use your own words instead of copying from the text. This will help youunderstand the material better.

(f) If you copy word for word, sentences or phrases from the topic, do not

forget to put them in inverted commas to show that they are quoted fromthe topic. Do not also forget to write down the original source from wherethe notes are taken (author, title, year of publication and page number).

(g) Read over your notes to make sure you understand them. If they do notmake sense at that point, you can be sure they will not make sense at anyother time in the future!

TAKING NOTES DURING TUTORIALS

Taking notes during tutorials is a difficult task; unlike a book, you cannot controlthe flow of speech, you cannot expect the tutor to repeat the entire tutorial, andyou cannot demand that the tutor organise his points or moderate his speed justso that you can take notes more effectively during tutorial. The followingsubsections are suggestions on how you can better prepare yourself for tutorialsso that it will be easier to take notes effectively.

7.3.1 Preparing Yourself for Tutorials

No skills will be effective if you are not prepared for the class. It is important thatyou read through the whole topic first before you enter your class so that whatever

is discussed in class or whatever is spoken by the tutor is familiar to you.

Pre-reading helps you in the following ways:

(a) It activates your prior knowledge;

(b) It builds mental schemas; and

(c) It enables you to make intelligent connections.

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ACTIVITY 7.1

Compare your style of making notes to the ways of writing notesgiven here. Are there any differences? Write down the differences andshare this with your coursemates.


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This will lead to better understanding of the material you are reading andeventually build interest in the classroom. Read critically using your ownexperience and opinion. This will help you to develop background knowledge.

Thus, you will be able to conceptualise the course content discussed in thetutorials as well as improve your understanding of the subject.

Basically, to be prepared, you must read! You have learned how to optimise yourreading in Topic 6, but reading the module alone is not enough. You have to getmore supporting material or resources to increase your knowledge of the coursecontent. As highlighted in these sections, while reading is crucial in getting readyfor the class, note-making is equally significant. Note-making will reinforce yourunderstanding of what you have read for the course. As such, you are urged touse these skills effectively to prepare yourself for the tutorials.

Even if you do not understand all that is being presented, you will at leastunderstand the basic ideas. Being familiar with the issues raised during tutorialsmakes note-taking easier and you will be able to improvise your own notes thatyou have made while reading.

7.3.2 Listening During Tutorials

Now that you are prepared with some basic knowledge of the topic, your maingoal is to get the tutorÊs intended message in the actual classroom. However, themessage may not always be clear. Thus, it is important that you listen attentivelyand take notes. Many learners feel that because they can hear, they are listening.Hearing and listening are two different things. Letting the words flow into your

ear is not listening. Listening is a thinking activity and is the most commonly usedmethod of learning. Your listening can be improved with instruction and practice.

In the following section, we share with you the various strategies you can use to become a more effective listener in a face-to-face tutorial:

(a) Avoid distractions that may interfere with your concentration (i.e. do not sitnext to a coursemate who talks too much or whose personality or looks area constant distraction, or do not sit near the doorway or window wherethere are too many disturbing sounds or movements).

Based on your reading style, how would you make notes from yourmodule before attending the tutorials?

ACTIVITY 7.2


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(b) Listen to the message being said, paying attention to the emphasis given bythe tutor to the topic. You must know what information was transmitted inthe class.

(c) Always relate the ideas to previous tutorial discussions, to your moduleand other supporting resources and to your previous experiences.

(d) Look for clues from the tutor that might give some indication as to whatcan be considered as important points. If the tutor uses illustrations andfocuses longer on certain issues, these can be the „clues‰ to look out for.Clues can be in vocal or visual form.

(e) Take notes, since some information might not be in your module and youneed to record this information for your future reference. Notes can also actas an alternative form of memory as it is impossible for you to remember

accurately everything you hear. Keep the notes, as they will help you inpreparing for your assessments.

(f) Identify noteworthy material. Be able to differentiate the things you shouldwrite down and things you can ignore. DO NOT COPY EVERYTHINGTHAT IS SAID BY YOUR TUTOR

(g) Write down the date/time of tutorial/name of tutor/subject discussed.This is important when you have to revise months later and need to refer tothe sequence of tutorials or subjects dealt with.

(h) Try to identify key issues, keywords and key phrases. Jot them if you

cannot take notes systematically. Jot them down immediately. You mayapply any of the five note-making ways i.e. annotation, outline notes,column notes, mind maps and summary notes, whichever you arecomfortable with.

(i) Create spaces as you take notes. There are a few formats that you can applyin note-taking as shown in Figures 7.1 to 7.5.

(j) Use your own abbreviations based on your needs and comfort level forquick and short note-taking. You may try to eliminate vowels, (e.g. in„you‰ – take the „y‰ and „o‰ away; in „student‰ – take the u and e away).

The following are some examples of abbreviations and symbols (pleaserefer to Figures 7.6 and 7.7):


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Figure 7.6: Abbreviations Figure 7.7: Symbols

It is not easy taking notes when you also have to listen to what is being presented by the tutor and your classmates. Apart from this, there are other challenges,such as a boring tutor, unclear slides, faulty LCD projector, etc. These are butsome of the few obstacles to effective note-taking.

7.3.3 Review After Tutorial

Now what should we do after the tutorial? Here are some suggestions:

(a) Review your notes as soon as possible after the tutorial, because the longeryou wait to review, the less you will remember.

(b)

Rewrite if necessary and fill in the gaps by using other peopleÊs notes orreading your library material.

(c) Verify your notes by reading your recommended text or other references,or compare them with notes taken by classmates to ensure that the factsand diagrams are correct.

(d) Supplement your notes with further reading to add value to your learning.

(e) Read and reread your notes so that by the time the examinations are dueyou are familiar with the notes.

1. In your opinion, how do listening skills help in note-taking?

2. How does one take notes in an environment where oneÊs

hearing, and sight are distracted? Discuss with yourcoursemates.

ACTIVITY 7.3


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(f) Use them to answer past years papers. This will be a test of their reliability.

(g) Keep them safe and in a system that is easy for you to retrieve and use.

Specify the problems you faced in taking notes at your last tutorial.

ACTIVITY 7.4

1. List five ways to make notes.

2. Give three reasons why you need to read before attending a

tutorial session.

3. Read the passage below and make your own notes in thefollowing formats:

(a) Outline; and

(b) Mind map.

The traditional teacher-pupil relationship was authoritarian, withthe teacher dominating classroom learning to the extent that itreduced the pupil to a position of inferiority and submissiveness.Hence, it is not a coincidence that this relationship was alsotermed the master-pupil relationship. In the effort to achieve equalopportunity, authoritarian attitudes and practices are beingquestioned. Equal opportunity in learning means that learnersneed to be considered as individuals, each with his own abilityand learning potential, working at their different paces and indifferent ways. This takes into account differences in the learnerÊs

learning styles and approaches. Various research projects have been undertaken about learning which provide insights into howlearners learn, particularly how they learn:

(a) As individuals;

(b) At various rates; and

(c) According to different styles and patterns.

ACTIVITY 7.5


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7.3.4 Electronic Taking and Making Notes

We cannot deny that the simple pen and paper is still one of the best ways to

build information records. However, besides the good old-fashioned way, somedigital devices have excellent and reliable alternatives for capturing notes in theelectronic form. We will be introducing three of the popular electronic takingnote tools, namely Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, and Google Notebook. Thereare many more tools which you can explore on your own.

(a) EvernoteEvernote (see Figure 7.8) is a free tool for taking and making notes. It has

built in support for text, images, audio, tagging and syncing between itsweb interface and all of your desktop installations. Images you add to

Evernote are searchable by text, and Evernote even supports several mobiledevices such as the iPhone and Windows mobile phones. You can useEvernote's web interface and clipping bookmarklet to pull anything intoyour notebook. Bookmarklet are tools for making bookmarks in the digitaldevice. Evernote is free to use and provides 40MB per month of uploadspace and if you pay a fee you will get more MB.

Figure 7.8: Evernote

(b) Microsoft OneNoteFigure 7.9 shows us that Microsoft OneNote is an excellent note-taking andmaking application that integrates with Windows in your computer.

OneNote 2007 syncs with the web and other computers, provides two-waysync with Windows mobile phones. It features quick searching of all yournotes. OneNote's marquee feature is support for handwriting recognitionon tablet and allows you to search your handwriting without converting itto text. However, OneNote is not a free shareware.


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Figure 7.9: Microsoft OneNoteSource: http://www.genbeta.com/herramientas/cinco-aplicaciones-imprescindibles-

para-la-vuelta-al-cole

(c)

Google Notebook (Web-based, Free) Figure 7.10 shows us a screen capture of Google Notebook, a web-basednote-taking application that enables you to use its interface and searchcapabilities in your notes. The application includes a rich-text editor,labelling for tagging purposes and integration with Google Bookmark(Figure 7.11). The Google Notebook add-on for Firefox and InternetExplorer makes adding notes and clips to Google Notebook a breeze.

Figure 7.10:Google Notebook, Web-based, FreeSource: http://lifehacker.com/399556/five-best-note-taking-tools


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Figure 7.11: Google BookmarkSource: http://lifehacker.com/399556/five-best-note-taking-tools

Some of the key features that your note-taking tool and making should have are:easy editing, efficient tools to highlight and annotate, intelligent folders for quicksearch and the ability to sync with other devices. The following tips will help youto take notes more effectively:

(a) Stay Focus and EngagedTyping notes is faster than handwriting. However, this could be a problemas you may be too involved in copying down what the tutor is saying and

passively transcribe lectures without thinking about their meanings. It isgood practise to listen to what the tutor is saying then jot down the keypoints in a summary. Summarising information actually forces learners toengage with the material. You will think about lectures more deeply,process and commit the information to memory. You are able to convertinformation to knowledge when you are engaged with what you arelearning.

(b) Edit and ConsolidateAlways re-look through your notes after each class. Consolidate all thereally important points in your notes and remove what are not. This will

help to clarify and make more sense of your notes.

(c) OrganiseUse a system to organise your lecture or research notes. You may want toinclude date, topic title, author, page number or any other information thatwill help in easy retrieval.

(d) Make Your Notes Available AnywhereYou should be able to input and access your notes between various digitaldevices. Importantly, being a mobile learner, you should be able to accessyour notes from anywhere with your mobile devices.


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(e) Choose a ToolFind a tool that is really useful and works well for you in taking notes andstick to it. It will be just a matter of time that you will be familiar with the

functions of the tool and you can concentrate more on getting work donerather than searching for other tools.

So, whether you decide to take notes electronically or by pen, the note-takingprocess should aid your thinking actively.

Note-making and note-taking are crucial to your learning because they help

you to organise and merge information and make them relevant or applicableto your module, tutorial and online discussions.

Good notes will help you save time and effort (and avoid agony) when it istime for you to write assignments or prepare for examinations.

Annotation Mind map

Topic 7 Note Making & Note Taking Skills

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