Chapter 9 Taking Textbook Notes

Five Notetaking Options Cornell Notetaking System Index Card Notetaking System Two-Column Notetaking System Three-Column Notetaking System Formal Outline Notetaking System Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Important Points about Taking Textbook Notes Your goal is to create a comprehensive set of notes that you can use to learn, rehearse, and review textbook information. The majority of your study time will be spent reading and working with textbook information. Studying from notes is more efficient than rereading chapters. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Essential Strategies for Textbook Notetaking Understanding what you read is the starting point. Be selective. Use a consistent structure in your notes. Label your notes according to textbook chapter. Experiment with different forms of notetaking. Use your notes for feedback. Allot time in your study blocks to work with your notes. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

The Five R's of Cornell Record: Write headings and numbered notes in the right column. Reduce: Write key words and questions in the recall column (left column). Recite: Cover the right column. Recite from the left column. Reflect: Think about and work with information in new ways. Review: Use immediate and ongoing review. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Cornell: Record Step Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Cornell: Reduce Step Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Cornell: Recite Step Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Cornell: Reflect Step Take time to think about your notes. Line up your recall columns to see the structure of the chapter. Write a summary at the bottom of your notes. Make lists of information or questions on the back side of your notes. Make study tools such as index cards, visual mapping, or pictures. For math, make a three-column reflect page. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Cornell: Review Step Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

SQ4R and Cornell Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Combining SQ4R and Cornell Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Combining SQ4R and Cornell (Cont) Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

The Index Card Notetaking System Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Essential Strategies for Studying Index Card Notes Carry your index study cards with you. Use the cards for quizzing. Use them as a warm-up activity at the beginning of a study block. Study from the front side of your cards. Study from the back side of your cards. Sort the cards into two piles: the ones you now and the ones you need to study further. Create reflect activities with your note cards. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

The Two-Column Notetaking System Modified version of Cornell notes Left column: Terms to define and questions to answer Right column: Notes about the terms and answers to questions Use two-column notes for: Terms and definitions Questions and answers Formula, steps, equations and examples of problem-solving Category of information and list of items in the category Heading for notes and a list of notes Concepts/main ideas and facts, explanation, examples Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

The Three-Column Notetaking System Modified version of two-column notes Left column: Terms, questions, concepts, or problems Middle and right column: two kinds of information for the item in the left column Use three-column notes for: Math problem + steps to solve + explanation/rule Topic/concept + textbook information + lecture information Topic/concept + definition/description + applications/details Math problem + space to rework + steps to solve Topic + one source of information + second source Term/concept + examples + explanations Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

The Formal Outline Notetaking System Highly structure, logically organized notes Levels of information clear Formal outlines show a skeleton of the printed information. Use formal outlines to take notes before, during, or after reading. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Standard Outline Format Indent and align items to show levels of information. Show at least two subtopics under each category. Use Roman numerals for main topics. Use Arabic numerals for supporting details. Use key words and short phrases throughout the outline. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Creating Formal Outlines Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

How to Study from Formal Outlines Read one line or item at a time; explain by reciting. Check your accuracy or completeness. Add clue words to the right of the lines or items. Repeat the process of reciting from the outline. Use the outline to write a summary. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.