Effective learning strategies How to Take Notes

How to take notes from a slide presentation Set up your page with a date and title. Sit and listen while I talk at the slide. Take a moment to process information. Choose a simple format (outline? question & answer? Timeline?) that gets to the conclusions, main ideas, and importance of the material, rather than just all the mindless facts. I’ll give you time to write down main ideas. Do not try to write absolutely everything - focus on summarizing important points. Use colour / highlighter pens to categorize / visually process. Review: read over, teach another, say it out loud.

Why take notes? Notice the title provide ready-made categories? Focuses attention. Keeps a record. Increases memory, retention, recall. Stays in your brain better with categories. Process by summarizing. Active vs. passive learning. Easier to review or study for tests & exams. Learning how to learn best (visual / chronology / categories / colour). Keeps note-book organized. Shows pride and effort in learning. Necessary life skill.

Listening and Processing We all learn differently. Some folks say we remember 20% of what we listen to but 70% of what we see & write. Practice good listening skills as much info is verbal.

How to Set Up Your Page Ensure you have your name, date, and title at the top of the page. Do you have a worksheet to use? Look over the categories / questions / outline provided. Do you need to set up your own page? What format makes sense?

Cornell Notes Plan Set up your page with a plan. Title / name date Set up your page with a plan. Leave room for summary.

Visual vs. Outline Different formats work for different people or topics.

Using Colour & Categories Using highlighter pens, different colours, and underlining helps isolate the important information. Categories and colours help to find a place in your brain for the info.

Review & Check Understanding Summarize the main ideas after the notes. Review to ensure you understand. Ask questions for clarification. Use symbols, categories, shorthand, underlining, highlighters to organize ideas.

Say it , Do it & Teach it If you can explain information to another, that means you really understand it yourself. If you can demonstrate learning by doing it, you really understand it. Active learning (doing, showing) helps us retain more than passive learning.

Now, review and summarize. Check out this nifty video on taking notes. http://youtu.be/UAhRf3U50lM Check out youtube for other study tips, lessons on how to take notes, and ways to keep organized at school… http://youtu.be/FClk9Dg4524 Now, review and summarize.