Note-Taking & Annotating Presented by the Academic Resource Center

Academic Resource Center We’re on Moodle! Locations Chestnut 3rd Street Sutter Street Anne Bremer Library Make appointments through WCOnline

WHY DO I HAVE TO TAKE NOTES?! When do we take notes and why is it important? What type of note-taking do you do? What strategies do you use? (What do you listen for / how do you take notes? - abbreviations, keywords?)

Notes Help! Memory Review Forming Questions Class Participation Critiques Test-taking Essay Writing

Listening Strategies What to listen for: writing on the board repeating points keywords main ideas emphasis ordinals (1st, 2nd, Finally) AIR: Anticipate next point Identify Supporting Material / Evidence Recapitulate / Summarize

Note-taking Strategies What NOT to do FULL SENTENCES Write EVERYTHING down! Write NOTHING down! GOOD Strategies Look at the course outline Organization: Date Title of section Page numbers Paraphrase Abbr. Leave gaps between ideas Be Concise

Visuals Bold CAPITALIZE Underline Highlight → Arrows ← Different color pens Bolding underlining

NOTE-TAKING STYLES Ask what types of notes people take in the room

Outlining Method Main Idea Numbers Roman Numerals Subtopic Letters supporting points clarification lists & examples supporting detail Numbers Roman Numerals Letters Bullet points Dashes Bullet Points / Outlining emphasize where main idea is

Two Column Method LEFT Math Equations 2 + x = 7 Key Dates, Time Periods 1492 Powerpoint Slides RIGHT Steps to solve math problem 7-2=5, x=5 Related events, important names Columbus sailed the ocean blue Extra notes during lecture 2 Column suggestion, but never seen people do this

Cornell Notes Topics Questions Ideas Main Idea Subtopic supporting points clarification lists & examples supporting detail Good for test-taking and even essay writing Small margin column on left, larger column on right Write notes in outline form on right first → Then review notes adding questions, ideas, topics on the left → Reviewing for tests → fold paper so you only see the questions you made on the left and test yourself Or during lecture, put main topics & important questions the professor asks on the left → these questions will most likely be questions on a test or an essay prompt Good way to navigate (find important topics) & review notes

Spider Diagrams / Thought Charts Useful for: Outlining essays Reflections Brainstorming Gallery visits Artist talks Main Concept Central Topic Idea Sub-idea/ example Idea Sub-idea/ example Idea Sub-idea/ example Analysis Comments Sub-idea/ example Sub-idea/ example

Annotating Readings Write in the margins! Highlight: Reactions Keywords/Definitions Use (+) (-) Main Arguments Evidence Conclusion & So What? (+) (-) - use when author agrees or disagrees with an example they’re giving So what: how is it applicable in class Ask if anything to add to the list

Reviewing your notes Read over & memorize Study groups Discussion groups Coffee breaks Before class After class

good bad ugly

ASK: What’s the issue with writing shorthand notes or recording? Illegible notes Anything that requires an extra step of transcribing, re-listening

PRACTICE / PRACTICE / PRACTICE Choose between: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/domestic-cat/ Get into groups to discuss: What they got from (exercise/mini-lecture) What strategies they used Help each other Large group share/discussion

Resources: Where to find notes on taking notes Academic Resource Center Page on Moodle http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/notes.html http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/handouts.html#Classes