Note Taking Basics Adapted from: Tamara Taylor Fall 2002 Intensive English Language Institute University of North Texas Denton, Texas USA

To be successful at note taking, you need to Improve your listening skills. Develop your note taking skills. Be able to use your notes to study. Note taking is an important part of academic life.

Get the BIG PICTURE! What’s the speaker’s main point? What does he want you to learn?

Like All Skills Practice every day for 5-10 minutes. Listening and note taking improve ONLY with practice.

Note taking = Dictation Note taking is writing complete ideas; dictation is writing complete sentences.

Dictation: Examples History 1002 meets 2 days a week, from 10:00 am to 10:50. Hist d/wk 10 – 10:50 am Notes:

Successful Note taking: Listen for KEY WORDS causes FACTORS differences technology First - costs Stages of development

Successful Note taking: 3 keys to green environ 1- educate public 2- improve tech. 3-help incr. demand for recy.ing Three keys to green environment – educate public, improve techno., and help increase demand for recycling. Use space. Move your hand.

Use space to show relationships. 3 keys to green environ 1- educate public 2- improve tech. 3-help incr. demand for recy.ing Gas Use -Factors Europe U.S Less good hwys More $$ cheap gas More trains auto ind. +pub transp. oil comp. Use vertical space. Use horizontal space.

Use headings to organize ideas. Gas Use -Factors Europe U.S Less good hwys More $$ cheap gas More trains auto ind. +pub transp. oil comp.

To create headings, use - CAPITAL LETTERS BOXES underline - - indent below the heading

Use symbols and abbreviations. Mr = ! Mrs % w/ ‹ pop › & #  w/o x

Note complete ideas, not just random words. Pop of UW pop of NSCC 1990 int’l st < 2% of NSCC st BUT now > 9+%

As You Study Develop your own style. Rewrite your notes ASAP (as soon as possible) after class.

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Now let’s change sentences to ideas...

Change dictation into notes: A sole proprietorship is a business entity owned by one person. The life of the business ends when the owner is no longer willing or able to keep the business going. Many small businesses are operated as sole proprietorships.

One way to write this info A sole proprietorship is a business entity owned by one person. The life of the business ends when the owner is no longer willing or able to keep the business going. Many small businesses are operated as sole proprietorships. Sole proprietorship – bus. w/ 1 owner -bus. ends w/owner -many small bus.

Change dictation into notes: Costco’s report shows a drop in retail sales from twenty- two and four-tenths percent in 1995 to twenty and three tenths in 2000.

One way to write this info Costco’s report shows a drop in retail sales from twenty- two and four-tenths percent in 1995 to twenty and three tenths in Costco - fr 22.4% in ’95 to 20.3% in 2000 What important information is missing? There was a drop in retail sales.

Remember Use Key words Space Headings Abbreviations and symbols Complete ideas Quantity – take a lot of notes!

Remember Get the big picture! Rewrite your notes. Develop your own style Practice, practice, practice.