Note-taking
Successful tertiary study requires a significant amount of note-taking, so it is important to be skilled in this area. When you are able to take notes effectively and efficiently, you will be better prepared for other assessment tasks such as essays and exams.
Types of notes
You will be required to take notes in a variety of settings and for a variety of purposes. For example, research and study notes from written texts such as journal articles, textbooks and Internet documents can be done at home or in the library. Lectures and tutorials provide different environments which will influence how you take notes. Being conscious about the various types of note-taking will help you to develop effective strategies.
Notes from written resources
You need to decide exactly why you are taking notes. Are you preparing for a lecture or a tutorial? Are you recording information for later use in an essay? Are you developing revision notes to prepare for an exam? Whatever the case, you will need to develop an appropriate approach to the taking and organisation of your notes. Be prepared to be creative in order to discover what suits you best.
Note taking in lectures and tutorials
Lectures and tutorials involve written and spoken information, so you need to consider the effectiveness of your listening skills. Both lectures and tutorials will involve striking a suitable balance between listening/participating and recording key ideas in your notes. You will also need to adjust to the different approaches/styles of your lecturers and tutors and how they use presentation aids such as Powerpoint.
Developing strategies
Once you are aware of the different purposes and environments associated with note taking, you can develop appropriate strategies. Note-taking will be more effective if you are organised, which involves both how notes are recorded on the page and how they are stored.
SOME USEFUL TIPS
- Read Chapter 2 of the Study Skills Guide (Reed and Keamy, 1999).
- Develop a system for recording notes. For example:
Date and Heading (eg: subject and lecture topic) Comments Notes Good advice! Your notes go in this column. Keep the left column for relevant comments on what you have written, information regarding bibliographic details and so on.
- When making notes from written material, paraphrase (write in you own words) the key points as this helps to clarify meaning and aids memory. Only copy material verbatim (word-for-word) if it is to be used as a direct quote.
- Record the necessary bibliographic details as you are doing your reading/research.
- Use appropriate techniques (eg: mind-maps/diagrams/colour-coding) to set out key concepts from the text.
- Note any of your own ideas that may occur to you during your reading/note-taking.
- For lectures and tutorials, do the required pre-reading. This will enhance attention and retention, improving your understanding and the quality of your notes.
- Develop and refine an appropriate system of shorthand and abbreviations.
- Listen carefully to what is being said in lectures and tutorials and record only the key ideas in your notes. Review your notes as soon as possible and elaborate if necessary.
- Be physically and mentally alert - don't doodle or do other work during lectures or tutorials.
- Be aware of any verbal or non-verbal cues which may signal important points made by lecturers and/or tutors.
- Don't allow negative emotional responses to distract you. Record any reactions/questions quickly for later use/follow-up after the lecture or tutorial.
- Maintain a positive attitude towards lectures and tutorials - good notes will save you time and energy later on.
If you are taking notes in order to learn or memorise material, do not forget that immediate review of your notes (followed by regular revision) will assist in the long-term retention of important information. There is no magic involved - the key is to have a systematic approach.