NOTE TAKING Making effective notes

Note-taking  During this session we will look at  Where am I now?  Why – we take notes  Top tips  Try it – your chance to look at alternative ways of notetaking

Why make notes?  What is your answer?...  Perhaps it is because:  My teachers tell me to  It helps me concentrate  So I remember what I’ve learnt  To help me revise  So I can review the lesson, check what I know. Go to drop-in and ask the teacher if I’m not sure. I’ll also understand more in the next lesson AND create my revision notes...this is the goal.

Where am I now?  Think about the following, where are your notes on this scale for each of these questions? Easy to read Hard to read Brief to the point Too detailed Well organised Poorly organised Easy to learn from Hard to learn from Well abbreviated No abbreviations In my own words Copied fro the board Good for revision Never read again

Top note-taking tips  Prepare – if you know what the lesson is about your brain is ready with the language for that topic  Write the minimum – key points only  Key terms / technical vocabulary / names/ dates  How do you know it’s a key point...the teacher will tell you “The next point is” or they may point to something  Teacher repeats something for emphasis...just listen and take it in.

Powerpoints and Handouts  If the Powerpoint is on Moodle in advance – why not print it and then you don’t have to copy from the board you can listen and just add what the teachers tells you!  Powerpoints in advance also prepares the brain for the topic / vocabulary so it’s easier to take it in  No Powerpoint in advance – often because it has the answers in...so the teacher puts it on Moodle afterwards. Write key word notes in the lesson, knowing you will print off the Powerpoint later.

Notes - recap  Prepare – do some reading before/review last weeks notes  Be familiar with the language/technical vocabulary  Only write down the KEY POINTS, DATES and NAMES  Listen to repetition/emphasis and absorb  Print off Powerpoints, reduce copying

What next? - Resources Your turn to try, look at our resources in the Study Zone and try:  Types of notes – Linear, flow diagram, mind map – look in the resources cupboard for alternative formats and a chance to try.  Abbreviations – list displayed in the Workshop and a copy available in the resources folder.  Now you have notes what should you do with them.... See Section 4 Review and Remember