Adopting a Note- Taking Mind Set
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–29–2 Don’t just start taking notes. Get ready to take notes by Preparing to read Preparing to listen
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–39–3 How to be in the right reading mind set Get to know your textbook Look over the specific assignment
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–49–4 Getting acquainted with your textbook and its authors Buy or acquire the book as early as possible Look over the book from cover to cover, stopping to look over –The preface –The introduction –The table of contents –Headings and subheadings –Illustrations –The index
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–59–5 Why you shouldn’t skip the preface The preface is the key to understanding the author and the book. It provides a sense of –The author’s personality –The book’s objective –The organizational plan of the book –What makes the book different –The author’s qualifications –Any available supplemental materials for the book
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–69–6 The introduction is not the same as the preface The preface provides insight into the author’s personality The introduction is a showcase, a preview of the book itself, often serving as a selling point for potential buyers or readers
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–79–7 Surveying the rest of the book Scan the table of contents Look through the material at the back of the book –Appendices –Glossaries –Bibliographies
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–89–8 Why you should survey each assignment Surveying creates a background Surveying limbers the mind Surveying overcomes inertia
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–99–9 Steps in surveying an individual assignment Think about the title Read the introduction and summary Look over headings and subheadings Note any information set apart from the text Glance at the visuals
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–10 Gear up for a lecture by Polishing your listening skills Providing context for the upcoming class
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–11 Triple-A Listening is the first step in note-taking Attitude: You have to want to listen Attention: Paying attention leads to concentration Adjustment: Lectures aren’t always predictable. You need to roll with the punches.
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–12 Maintain a Positive Attitude Find areas of interest: Find a link that turns a “boring” lecture into something that interests you Judge content, not delivery: Instructors aren’t talk show hosts; they’re learned scholars Hold your fire: Don’t let the temptation to argue with the lecturer prevent you from really listening
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–13 Strive to Pay Attention Listen for ideas: Don’t become an automatic fact-storing machine. Ideas give facts context and meaning. Work at listening: Make an effort to remain engaged. You can’t listen passively.
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–14 Strive to Pay Attention (cont’d) Resist distractions: Discourage distractions by sitting up close and by focusing on the speaker – and your notes. Use your “thought speed”: Devote any extra thinking time to mulling over the lecture’s ideas instead of daydreaming.
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–15 Cultivate a Capacity for Adjustment Be flexible note-taker: Avoid using a note-taking structure that is too rigid Exercise your mind: Occasionally sit in on lectures on subjects you aren’t familiar with. Keep your mind open: Don’t let “red flag” works or topics cause you to shut down
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9–16 Setting the table for the next lecture Look over the syllabus: You’ll get a big picture sense of where the lecture and the course is going. Review your notes from the previous lecture: The latest lecture often rests on the ideas of the previous one. Do the assigned reading: Readings can often provide advance organizers that make the lectures more meaningful and memorable