study skills taking text notes. taking text notes when to take text notes how to take text notes how...
TRANSCRIPT
Study Skills
Taking Text Notes
Why to takeText Notes
How to Review
Text Notes
How toEvaluate
Text Notes
How to takeText Notes
When to takeText Notes
TAKING TEXT
NOTES
Where Are You Now? Answer the questions – Yes or No
Do you take notes on textbook material after you have highlighted the chapter or section?
Do you take text notes when you read the chapter for the first time?
Do you read the whole paragraph before you begin to take notes?
Do you evaluate your notes after an exam? Do you usually copy information from the txt in the
same wording as the author used in the book?
Where Are You Now? Answer the questions – Yes or No
Do you recite your text notes when you review for an exam?
Do you create maps when you take notes on the textbook material?
Are your text notes a good summary of the text material?
Do you tend to write down only key words when you take notes?
Do you use formal outlining to take notes on your text?
Calculate Your Score Where are you now
Give yourself 1 point for each yes to questions 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8.
Give yourself 1 point for each no to questions 2, 5, 9, and 10
Total your points A low score indicates that you need some
help in taking notes on text material A high score indicated that you are already
using many good note-taking strategies
Why to Take Notes
Promotes Active Reading – Actively involved – you must write something down– Decision-making – you decide what is important– Your own words = format that is easy to study & remember – Strengthens your memory of the material
Increases your Comprehension– Reinforces the important information – Writing in your words = analyzing the material & relates it to
what you already know about the subject.– Reading, Thinking & Writing - repetition needed for
remembering
Why to Take Notes
Serves as a Comprehensive Monitoring System– Provides feedback on concentration & understanding– If you can’t write notes – signal you didn’t understand what you read
Condenses the Information – Time saver for studying for an exam– Able to organize in a way that makes sense for you
Organizes the Information – Forces you to structure the material to show relationships– Mapping allows for visual display to show how the material is
connected
When to Take Text Notes
When you first read the chapter– Can be too time consuming– May write down more information than you need
After the Lecture– If teacher’s lecture follows the text gook closely, you can fill in
information you may have missed during the lecture – Able to add important information that was not covered in lecture
At the end of the week– Good way of reviewing information – Use lecture notes with text notes so do not duplicate information
When you prepare for the exam – Active review session– Able to condense information to study with
How to Take Text Notes - written notes
Outlining – Formal
Refer to the table of contents to set up main headings Use capital letters to set up main point Example
– I. A. 1. 2. B.
– II.
– Informal Informal outlining is more efficient for taking notes Use chapter subdivisions for main points Don’t have to use every hading as a main point – some combined; others omitted No need to use letters or numbers, just indents
How to Take Text Notes - written notes
Block Notes– Allows to group important details for each heading compactly– Write heading next to margin; indent slightly– Separate details by slash or dash – IF you are a visual learner, this may not be the best method for you –
hard to picture information since it is grouped together
Modified Block Notes – More effective by listing important details under each other– Sometimes too many details to list under just one heading – Use phrases instead of whole sentences; use your own words
How to Take Text Notes - written notes
Summarizing – Condensed version of information written in sentence or paragraph
form – Break down chapter in shorter segments– Read entire section; think about what author is saying; decide what
you think is important – Not useful for certain types of information – especially technical or
factual Note cards
– Easy to organize information– Easy to carry around – On the back of the actual notes, write recall words or questions.
Forces you to focus on important information & create set of self-test questions
How to Take Text NotesMapping - visual display of text information
Line or Wheel Maps– Provides space to write meaningful phrases– Visual display of information
Add lines or spokes that radiate out from a central hub Topic in the Center
– Subordinate points on lines that radiate up, down or out from it– Add supporting details by inserting lines that extend out from previous lines
– Create subheadings as you map the information Subheadings organize the information, separate details into easier-to-remember
chunks Information can serve as cues to help learn and retrieve the information
– Seem easy to create, also easy to make mistakes Don’t turn paper around to create; want to be written horizontally for ease of
studying and reading Tendency to simply list all information on lines that extend directly from heading
– If is a few details; fine, but if too detailed need to break down differently.
How to Take Text NotesMapping - visual display of text information
Hierarchical Maps – Top-Down display of information– Form of flowcharts or process charts
Write main heading/topic at top in a box Draw lines to indicate the subdivisions; create box for each Further divide into one or more supporting points
– Individual method of taking notes– Natural progression from main topic to supporting details
Example of Hierarchical Map
(Main Topic)
Chemically Dependent Youth
(Subdivisions)
Incidence
(Subdivisions)
Increase in Use
(Subdivisions)
Teacher’s Role
(Subdivisions)
Drug Categories
(Points)
Youth & Adults
(Points)
Drinking & Drugs(Points) (Points) (Points) (Points)
(Points)
1/3 of High School Students
How to Take Text NotesMapping - visual display of text information
Semantic Webs– Instead of top-down display; semantic webs radiate from
central focal point – Four main components
Core Question or Concept Web Strands Stand Supports Strand Ties
– Color coding may help recall the information – Uses clusters of information
Use different colors for different clusters of information
Example of Semantic Map
Category
Category
Category
Category
Category
Category
Main Topic
How to Take Text Notes Charting
Graphic Display of information – Show similarities and differences of related information– Cannot chart entire textbook– Break down chapters by section
Topics, How related
Create Chart with Categories & Headings Matrix
– Chart with rows and columns– Categories are equivalent to subheadings
Example of Charting
Categories Examples Short-Term Effects
Long-Term Effects
Stimulants
Depressants
Hallucinogens
Narcotics
How to Review Text Notes
Recite your notes– Review main & supporting points; Recall & recite
headings; Recite details under headings– If use note cards – carry with your; use all spare time
Replicate your notes– Reconstruct your notes – Work on one column at a time
Create a recall column– Use margin to write recall words or questions – Test your memory using recall cues
How to Evaluate Text Notes
Compare your notes with those of a classmate– May notice information you omitted or unnecessary information– Get ideas how to organize text information
Check with your teacher or a tutor – Feedback – See how well you are identifying, condensing & organizing the
information – How to be a better note taker
Use the T Method– Go through your information and put a “T” in the margin every time
you find a test question
REVIEW – terms you should know
Block method Chart Comprehensive
monitoring system Core concept Formal outlining Hierarchical map Informal outline Line map
Maps Matrix Modified-block method Semantic web Strand supports Summary T Method Web strands Wheel map
REVIEW – Sentence completion
You may not want to take text notes as you read the chapter for the first time because everything seems ______.
You can edit your _______ notes as you take text notes. Some students like to take text notes on ______ _____
because they can carry them around to review when they have a few extra minutes.
_____ _____ show the supporting details in a Semantic Web.
_____ cannot be used to take notes on entire chapters.
REVIEW – Multiple Choice
When you are writing a summary, be sure you use:
– A. Meaningful phrases– B. Main ideas– C. Paragraph form– D. Recall questions in
the margin
Which of the following is a top-down method of taking text notes?
– A. Summaries– B. Hierarchical maps– C. Semantic webs– D. Charts
REVIEW – short answer essay
Why is note taking more effective than highlighting or underlining?
Why do some students have difficulty taking text notes? What should they do differently?
How should students review their notes?s
Reference:College Study Skills:
Becoming a Strategic LearnerBy: Dianna L. Van Blerkom