Taking Notes and Outlining

Two tools that improve Student Success

Why Take Notes? To remember important information

Study material for future exams

Interacting with the material turns information into knowledge

It improves your success as a student

When to Take Notes You read or study a textbook

Your instructor is lecturing or gives you important information: test dates, test review topics, extra credit opportunities

You watch a video in class or for class

Coming to Class Prepared Have you read/studied the material?

Did you bring your textbook(s)?

Do you have note paper and pen?

Is your mind-set ready for class?

Active Listening in Class Active listening means you are involved !

Keep your mind on what is being said

Notice if anything is written on the board

Pay attention to instructor’s verbal clues

Don’t be using your cell phone

Avoid side conversations

What should I write? Everything written on the board

Anything the instructor clues you on

Whatever else you sense is important

Key words and terms

Don’t attempt to capture every word

Abbreviations (even ones you make up)

Brainstorming from your Notes

Organize your notes in a linear form

Not every instructor lectures linearly

Prioritize the major key points

Make sense so you understand them

Why Transcribe My Notes? Make them clear and understandable while

they are fresh in your mind

Use a computer – saves them for you

Put them in an organized or outline form

Helps you remember the material

Creates your “study guide” for exams

Outlining A good way to organize material

› You may see questions you have not asked yet› Missing information may be evident› Lays out the main ideas and supporting material

Outlines show the relative importance of key points and how they connect to one another

Kinds of Things to Outline Many sources to create outlines from:

› Lectures, video, or audio presentations

› Key notes from your textbook

› Notes from research sources

An Outline Consists of: Usually a combination of Roman numerals,

alphabetic characters, and Arabic numbers

The main point or heading is in Roman numerals, such as I, II, III, IV

Important sub-points will be labeled with capital letters, such as A, B, C

Supporting details will be recorded with numbers, such as 1, 2, 3, 4 (Arabic numbers)

I. Introduction – topics we are covering todayII. Why Take Notes?

A. remember important informationB. study material for future examsC. turns information into knowledge

III. When to Take NotesA. textbookB. lecturesC. videos and other presentations

IV. What should I write?A. anything written on the boardB. instructor clues C. key words and termsD. Don’t attempt to write every word

1. only key points2. use abbreviations

V. Formal Outline formatA. general outline formatB. Specific example (this one)

Outline Example