TIME AND EFFORT = ACADEMIC SUCCESS

1
TIME AND EFFORT ACADEMIC SUCCESS

• Noteworthy Note-Taking Strategies
• Presentation provided by UTPB West Texas Literacy
  Center, an HSI funded program. HSI is a federally
  funded program granted by the Department of
  Education Title V programs.
• Developed by Ana Miller, M.A., Reading Specialist
  

2
When Should You Note-Take?

• During Class Lectures
• While Reading Textbook Assignments
• During Class Discussions
• During Study Group Sessions
• While Reviewing Previously taken notes
• Any time you encounter relevant information

3
Why is Note-Taking Important?

• Keeps you actively involved and engaged while
  reading and listening to lectures
• Keeps you focused
• Provides study material for exams
• Transforms you from a passive observer to an
  active participant during class
• Serves as research references
• One of the Top Ten Professor suggestions for
  academic success here at UTPB

4
TIPS FOR BECOMING AN ACTIVE LISTENER

• Sit close to the instructor
• Listen for main ideas and for the supporting
  details
• Remain alert to recognize when a new idea is
  being introduced
• Keep an open mind-save disagreements for an
  office visit
• Engage in self-talk Tell yourself that youre
  getting all the information
• Get enough sleep
• Dont come to class hungry
• Fight boredom by adding your own ideas to your
  notes

5
LISTEN FOR CUE WORDS

• For examples For example, for instance, to
  illustrate
• For organization or chronological order The six
  steps are, next, finally first, secondly, third
• For additional points Furthermore, in addition,
  also, moreover
• For opposing ideas On the other hand, in
  contrast, although, however
• For similar ideas Likewise, similarly, in
  comparison

6
More Cue Words

• For exceptions However, nevertheless, but, yet,
  still
• For emphasis Above all, finally, more
  importantly
• For understanding In other words, in essence,
  briefly
• For summarizing In conclusion, to sum up, for
  these reasons, in a nutshell
• For exams Remember this, this is important, this
  could be on the test
• Also, pay attention to these cue words and
  phrases as you read your texts.

7
PREPARATION FOR EFFECTIVE NOTE-TAKING

• Before going to class, READ homework assignments
  and TAKE NOTES while you read
• Have all of your supplies ready to use.
• Arrive to class early
• Write down everything the instructor writes on
  the board
• Write down material that is emphasized on the
  overhead or on a Power Point Presentation
• If possible download a copy of the instructors
  Power Point presentation, and read over it BEFORE
  class

8
NOTE-TAKING TIPS

• Take notes in the instructors words, but when
  you study, RECITE them in your own words
• Notice whether the instructors lectures are
  taken directly from the text
• If the lecture and notes coincide, refer to the
  book to add necessary and additional information
• If not, take notes from the text and compare them
  to your lecture notes
• Leave blank spaces to add more information later
• Leave space between the main ideas and supporting
  details
• Take notes until the end of class
• Write legibly

9
MORE NOTE-TAKING TIPS

• Use an adjusted writing style combining cursive
  and print
• Use a tape recorder
• Write meaningful phrases
• When revising your notes, color-code them
• Write notes to yourself See p. 147 of text for
  more details
• Exchange contact information with a reliable
  classmate

10
CREATING A CONSISTENT NOTE-TAKING SYSTEM

• Develop your own shorthand method
• Shorten words by omitting vowels
• problemprblm backgroundbkgd
• Use standard abbreviations in place of words
  withw withoutw/o
• Use the first part of a word for the full word
  sociologysoc kinshipK
• becauseBC most importantlyM
• Add symbols, pictures, and drawings to your notes
  as you REVIEW. Make them different sizes and
  colors

11
NOTE-TAKING FROM TEXT

• SQ4R STUDY READING METHOD
• S SURVEY
• Q QUESTION
• R READ
• R RECITE
• R RITE
• R REVIEW

12
S SURVEY

• To X-Ray the bones of the chapter
• As you survey keep asking yourself - What do I
• already know about the topic?
• Look at the title. Read the introduction or
  first
• two paragraphs
• Look over the headings subheadings,
  boldface
• words, titles of graphs, charts, diagrams,
  etc.
• Read the Summary or last two paragraphs
• Take no more than 5 minutes to survey an
• average chapter

13
Q QUESTION

• To set a purpose and to get actively engaged in
  reading
• Pose Questions, mentally or in writing, before
  you read the first section of the chapter
• If available, use questions provided by the
  instructor, your text, or a study guide
• Or turn a chapter heading, subheadings, or
  boldface terms into questions, beginning with
  why, how, what, where, when, or who?

14
R READ

• To find the answers to your questions posed in
  the Questioning step
• Read only a short section, one paragraph to one
  page, depending on the difficulty of the text
• Read quickly and selectively, improving your
  comprehension by seeking the answers to your
  questions

15
R RECITE

• To find out what information you have gained from
  reading the short section
• Answer your question aloud, in your own words,
  for an immediate test of your comprehension
• If you cant say it, you dont know it
• Reciting is your most powerful tool for
• remembering information it requires the
• complete multisensory concentration needed to
• move information from short-term memory into
• long-term memory

16
R RITE

• To prepare your notes for later review, follow
  RECITE
• with any of the following steps
• If the material is fairly easy, underline or
  highlight, using the telegrammatic method
• If the material is detailed or complex, write
  brief notes in the margin, in your notebook, or
  on post-it-notes
• In either case, record key names, dates, terms,
  definitions and ideas
• Mark any confusing portions for future
  clarification
• NOW MOVE TO THE NEXT SECTION OF TEXT. RETURN
• TO THE QUESTION STEP AND PROCEED THROUGH
• THE READ, RECITE, AND RITE STEPS

17
Telegramattic Highlighting, Underlining or
Note-Taking

• Use during the RITE step of the SQ4R
• Study Reading method
• Objective Your underlined or highlighted
  information and notes should provide you with a
  sufficient, correct summary of the reading
  material
• Provides focus during note-taking, improving
  comprehension, review, and recall

18
R REVIEW

• At the end of the chapter, do an immediate, brief
• review to double retention
• Take about 5 minutes to review the full chapter,
  resurveying it again by looking over all
  headings, subheadings, boldface terms,
  definitions, and major points adding to your
  own notes, highlighting or underlining
• A week later, review again briefly to strengthen
  long-term memory
• Review each week until you are tested, adding new
  chapters as they are assigned, to cut study time
  by up to 90

19
WHY USE SQ4R?

• In a study, of upper-level students from a major
  university who used the SQ4R method for a
  semester-
• -Every student
• -Had a higher GPA
• -Faster reading rate
• -Improved comprehension
• -Spent 30 less time on studying than before
• Continually changes the pace, as you read one
  short section using the QUESTION to READ to
  RECITE to RITE steps
• -Prevents boredom
• -Enhances concentration
• -Produces greater learning than the usual
  reading of a full
• chapter

20
Research ShowsStudy-Reading Methods Do Work

• Reading alone is a short-term memory operation
• Provides mental organization or structure
• Sets a purpose for reading
• Produces sense of accomplishment
• Creates sense of security
• Multisensory
• The key is repetition!!!

21
NOTE-TAKING METHOD 1

• CORNELL
  SYSTEM
• Draw a 2.5 inch margin down the left side of the
  page
• Leave several inches of space on the bottom of
  the page for writing a summary
• Include the date and class name on each page
• Take notes on the right side of the paper only
• After the lecture, use the cue column (left side)
  to write study questions, key words, or phrases
  related to notes on the right side
• Cover up the notes on the right side and use the
  cue column to test your knowledge
• Write a summary on the bottom of each page
• Review your notes immediately and at least weekly
• Study the information using flash cards,
  outlines, hierarchies, mind maps, etc.

22
NOTE-TAKING METHOD 2

• OUTLINING DURING LECTURES AND TEXT NOTES
• Main ideas or topics begin farthest to the left
  with supporting details indented below to the
  right
• Levels of importance are indicated by distance
  away from the major point
• Relationships among categories of facts carried
  through by indenting
• No numbers, letters, or Roman Numerals are needed
• Best used if lecture is presented in an outlined
  manner
• Must have enough time to think about and organize
  information
• For textbook notes use titles, subheadings,
  captions, terms, or paragraphs as categorization
  guides

23
NOTE-TAKING METHOD 3

• COLUMN NOTES
• Divide paper into 2 parts
• On left side write page number with terms,
  subtitles, topics
• Right side write in facts, supporting details,
  summary, information from textbook notes
• Divide paper into 3 parts
• On the far left side 1 ½, write page numbers
  that reference the text
• In the middle section, write text book notes
• On the far right side, write lecture notes in an
  organized format
• Provides comprehensive overview of lecture notes
  and text notes

24
NOTE-TAKING METHOD 4

• GRAPHICALLY ORGANIZING
• Also referred to as graphic organizers, mind
  maps, hierarchies, webbing, flowcharts, tree
  diagrams, etc.
• Graphically and visually connects each fact or
  idea to another fact or idea
• Emphasizes critical thinking
• Notes can be easily edited, revised, cut apart,
  and pieced together
• Stimulates use of the right side of the brain,
  thus maximizing learning

25
Using Your Whole Brain

• LEFT SIDE RIGHT SIDE
• Logical Intuitive
• Linear Non-linear
• Mathematical Visual
• Language Spatial
• Analytical Creative
• Reasoning Subconscious Mind
• Conscious Mind

26
NOTE-TAKING METHOD 4

• CHARTING
• Before lecture, determine categories to be
  covered in the lecture
• Set up a graphic organizer or chart in advance
  according to the categories
• As you actively listen to the lecture, fill in
  the chart
• Write main ideas, phrases, single words

27
NOTEWORTHINESS OF NOTE-TAKING

• Necessary for in-depth learning
• Multisensory approach Kinesthetic, Auditory,
  Visual
• Experiment with different methods
• Find the right fit for you
• Adjust to suit your needs
• Practice until note-taking becomes a habit

28
References

• Burke, J. (2002). Tools for thought. Portsmouth
  Heineman.
• California Polytechnic State University. Student
  Academic Services.
• http//www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/notetaking.sys
  tems.html
• Feldman, Shattles, McKenzie. (2004).Oracle EDU
  1110. Unpublished manuscript, Southern Methodist
• University, Dallas, TX
• Hoyt, L. (2002). Make it Real Strategies for
  success with informational texts. Portsmouth
  Heineman 191-196.
• Our world today people, places, and issues.
  (2003). New York Glencoe McGraw-Hill 22-25,
  82-85, 192-196.
• Leonard, E. (2007). What every student
  should know aboutstudy skills. New York
  Pearson.