Taking Notes when Reading Should you require this or any other handout in a different format, please let us know

By the end of this session, you should:  Be able to distinguish between note taking and annotation  Be able to critically annotate a short text  Be able to evaluate the effectiveness of example sets of notes for your own study style  Be aware of a variety of note-taking techniques  Be aware of a number of strategies for processing your notes.

Activity: Why write notes?  In small groups, discuss the reasons why you would want to take notes. What should be included in your notes? How do you make sure they will be useful when you return to them?

Why write notes?  Process – note taking as a learning tool  Clarify your thinking  Forces you to be selective  Organises your ideas  Helps you to remember  Preparation for written assignments  Preparation for a seminar  For review and revision before exams  Visible record

What’s important if you are to reuse your notes?  Legibility  Record the source  Separate your ideas from the writer’s  Leave space to add more  Organise your notes  What’s the final purpose?  Essay – based on the question  Seminar – points for discussion, questions  Exams – research past questions, other cues

What to include?  From the text:  What is important?  What is relevant?  What is credible?  Facts  Opinions  (Examples)  Your ideas – being critical  How does it relate to your previous knowledge?  Is it logical?  Is there a good argument?  Where are the gaps in your understanding?  What questions do you want to ask your tutor (or the author)?

Building an overview  Building an overview is part of the reading process  Without it your reading is not effective  When surveying and previewing: PUT YOUR PEN DOWN  AFTERWARDS make notes quickly to build an overview  Ask yourself:  Which parts answer my assignment question?  Which questions are relevant for the seminar?  What will I need for the exam?

Annotating reading

What is good annotation? Bad annotation?  Use a pen or pencil. Why?  Write key words or phrases in the margins  Note related ideas and contrasts with other texts  Key words, names, dates  Read a paragraph first, then go back to highlight  ‘Less is more’  Highlight or underline everything  Highlight or underline nothing  Only highlight or underline  Highlight as you read  Highlighting or underlining in library books

How should you take notes?  Avoiding plagiarism  Tips  Methods – key points  Linear  Cornell  Pattern notes such as mindmapping  Question banks

Avoiding plagiarism Distinguish quotes/summaries/your ideas in your notes Set up a system to record complete bibliographic details  Author (or editor)’s name and initials or originator (eg organisation WHO)  Date published and/or date accessed for websites  Title  Edition no.  Place of publication  Publisher  You might need page numbers

Some simple tips  if u cn rd ths, u cn lrn spdwrtg  Use abbreviations – see handout  Use colour, CAPITALS,  Ask yourself questions

Methods – key points  Before  What do you already know?  What do you need to know?  Whilst  Skim for the gist  Scan for key points  Read in more detail – annotate?  Write notes  After  Organise – include bibliographical details  Review

Linear notes  Use indentations/subsections  Use bullet points or numbering  Don’t just make a list  Leave good margins

Cornell style  Use the right hand side for notes  Use the left hand column for ‘cues’  Use the lower part to summarise

Other ways of representing content literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html#

Activity  Using whatever method you like, make notes on the brief article on the handout

Added value: Notes for Critical and Analytical Thinking  What is the line of reasoning?  Evaluate line of reasoning:  Relevant?  Sufficient reasons?  Logical progression?  False premises?  Flawed reasoning?  Identify evidence  Evaluate evidence  Identify writer’s conclusion  Evaluate whether evidence supports writer’s conclusion Adapted from Stella Cottrell, 1999, Study Skills handbook, Palgrave Study Guides, McMillan Press Ltd, Hampshire

Process your notes  Cross reference with other reading/ handouts etc.  Read through your notes. Fill in any missing details from additional reading or research  Link new information to what you already know  Label and file your notes

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Review of objectives. Are you:  Able to distinguish between note taking and annotation  Able to critically annotate a short text  Able to evaluate the effectiveness of example sets of notes for your own study style  Aware of a variety of note-taking techniques  Aware of a number of strategies for processing your notes