Note Taking is one of the emerging learning domains in professional writing. Working in the corporate or organised service sector gains more importance after being a significant segment in the academics at schools and colleges. The collection you make, based on your observations, must be a smart one to re-visit.
Your Notebook and "Good" Notes
Structure and organization are keys to maintaining accurate notes. Following is a list of guidelines and tips for setting up a notebook and keeping your notes intelligible.
Setting Up Your Notebook
- Keep a separate notebook or separate section of a notebook for each course. This will help you stay organized and avoid misplacing your notes.
- If the course requires different types of notes (i.e., lecture notes, notes on outside reading, lab notes, computation notes) arrange them on opposite pages for cross-referencing.
- Notes for each lecture should begin on a new page, with the date and page number.
- Make your notes brief: a key phrase for a sentence; a word to represent a phrase.
- Abbreviate whenever possible.
- Put notes into your own words.
- A formula, a definition, and specific facts demand exact wording.
- Number items, bullets or use indentations to distinguish between major and minor points.
- Highlight unfamiliar vocabulary and unclear areas. Take notes as completely as you can and check your text(s) for clarification.
- Develop questions to ask your friends or instructor to help clarify information or concepts.
- If you miss something completely, leave a blank space and locate the information later.
- Develop a coding system or scheme to mark your notes.
- Use technical abbreviations instead of writing out the whole word.
- Use technical symbols instead of writing out words.
Tips for Effective Listening: The Core of Note Taking
- Sit near the front of the room.
- Find a reason to listen to the speaker. Ask yourself, "Why is this important?"
- Listen for more than just facts; try to understand the big picture.
- Recite key ideas to yourself.
- Take more notes than necessary.
- Attentive Listening and Reading
- Avoid outside distractions and internal noise.
- Anticipate what the speaker is going to say next.
- Try to select main ideas and supporting details (mentally organize).
- Prepare for lectures beforehand.
- Listen first, then write; leave spaces to fill in gaps in your information.
- Formulate questions to look up later or ask the instructor.
- Put aside personal bias and listen to the content of the speaker's message.
©EklavyaParv: Learning Content
