NOTE TAKING :

A Useful Study Skill Technique for PMR students.

By : ABIDAH BT SARAJUL HAQ English Language Master Teacher Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman , Ipoh

Proper note taking is vital to students success. Everyone needs to develop

a strategy for taking notes that is best suited for personal learning. There is no one way to keep a notebook. Take your notes the way that is best for you. In order to take good notes, you must be an active listener in your classroom.

There are some key words in a particular lesson that you should be alert
which need you to note them down. In the class , during a lesson, several reasons are given by your teacher to explain certain things, then you need to write them down too. Cause and effect statements are also key points that need to be noted of.

Definitions should always be included in notes, especially when your

teachers add some relevant materials. Teachers also give examples which may be listed under definitions in an effort to understand a concept better.

Whenever a superlative is used, such as the best, the largest, the

greatest, then put these in your notebook. As you listen to your teacher, pick up on the speech patterns. Usually teachers speak more slowly and possibly louder when something is important. The teacher will often repeat something that is vital for you to know.

After a lesson has been completed , go through your notes. It is a good idea
to read them out aloud. Relate the notes to what you have already learned in the class. Review the notes again before going to class. Get into the habit of taking good notes. Do not rely on anyone else in the class to take them for you. You may compare notes, but do not copy them.

Hints for Good Note Taking Ten Basic Steps:

1. Do not write down everything that you read or hear. Be alert and attentive to the main points. Concentrate on the core of the subject and forget the irrelevant parts. Notes should consist of key words, or very short sentences. If a teacher gets side-tracked you can go back and add further information. Take accurate notes. Usually you should use your own words, but try not to change the meaning. If you quote directly from the author, quote them correctly. Think for a minute of your information before you start making notes. Do not take notes just for the sake of jotting down things. Take notes that will be of real value to you when you go through them later. 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 space for later additions. Omit descriptions and full explanations. Keep your notes short and to the point. Condense your information so that you can grasp at it quickly. Do not worry about missing a point. Leave some space and try to pick up the information you had missed at a later date, either through reading, questioning, or common sense. Do not keep notes on oddly shaped pieces of paper. Keep notes in order and in one place. Shortly after making your notes, go back and reread your notes by adding extra points, checking out spelling errors or correcting unclear sentences. Remember, we often forget easily. So spend some time for this vital step just as you do for the class itself.

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10. Review your notes periodically. This is the only way to achieve a lasting memory.

Taking Useful Notes :

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Use dashes for words when the teacher goes too fast. Leave some space so that you can fill in details later. Use symbols to call attention to important words e.g *, !, ?, or but you can also underline, circle or put a box around the word too. When the teacher says, "this is important" get it exactly and (*) mark it. Get a reference to the text or other source if you can. Do not erase a mistake and do not black it out completely. Draw a single line through it. This saves time. Abbreviate Shortcuts, such as abbreviations, are alternatives to writing everything longhand. Abbreviate only if you will be able to understand your own 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

& No. or # = b/4 ref. w/ > < i.e., vs. e.g., etc. Q. b/c w/o and number equal to, is the same as before reference with greater than less than that is versus, as opposed to for example et cetera question because without

Note Taking Styles

Outline Style Outlines work particularly well when the information being presented is well organised and when the information moves from main idea to supporting details. In an outline style of note taking, each point that is being recorded is separately numbered or lettered.

Phrase Style When the manner in which the lesson is presented approaches a situation much like storytelling, jotting down phrases may be the best technique for note taking. Vocabulary Many lessons (particularly at the introductory level) deal exclusively with the development of new vocabulary. As you take notes, one of your main Style objectives is to list the new vocabulary items and to spell them correctly. Although your may just list the words and definitions in your notes, these terms will have to be integrated with textbook notes and other materials. You need to have these definitions handy so you can formulate questions about concepts involving these words. Drawing, Graph, and Problem Style In many of your classes, your notes will be essentially non-verbal. Some obvious examples include diagrams, mathematical formulas/problems, drawings, and all sorts of charts and graphs. These pictorial representations are most important because they condense and summarize information that is difficult to write out.

Practice yourself in little things, and then proceed to greater ones. - Epictetus -