1. Mr. Rissling 2012-13 Semester 2

2. Consider this…  You are born with a certain amount of intelligence. You have little control over this. Thinking, however is a skill that you can improve. “Many highly intelligent people are poor thinkers. Many people of average intelligence are skilled thinkers. The power of the car is separate from the way the car is driven.” -Edward De Bono

3. The Basics  The essence of good note-taking is summarization and internalization.  You will learn more by reading a piece of material, processing it, and making your own notes than from any other method.  Do not get into lazy habits.  Organization is very important. Devise a system to quickly find what you need when you need it. Include dates, page nos., etc.

4. The Basics, cont’d  Do not write out the words just as they appear. You must use your own words for notes and questions (your notes should pass the Peer Test).  Use point form if you like, add diagrams & pictures, charts, write notes to yourself, highlight important passages, etc.  Use flags, highlighters, and other tools to locate information quickly and easily.

5. The Basics, cont’d  Your notebook is an ever-evolving entity. Ensure that you are able to add/remove materials to your book.  You may wish to have dedicated pages. These are easy-to-find pages with definitions, formulas, or other often-used information.  The more you have ownership of your notebook the more helpful it will be to you.

6. The Basics, cont’d  Answers to assigned questions must be written down in such a manner that you are able to determine what the original question was (i.e. the Grandma Test).  Your notebook should be a record of what happens in class. Not just the assigned notes & questions, but also your thoughts on discussions, videos, demos, notes-to- self, etc.

7.  Target – Know what you are looking for Use previews in textbook Text in bold, italics, underlined, or repeated Write down headings & subheadings  Expand – Learn more about the concepts Copy tables, graphs, & figures from the text (can include captions and page nos.) Use the glossary, table of contents, index, chapter questions Each paragraph contains one idea  Contract – Summarize the information Condense the material; use your own words Use chapter end summaries Aim for a 4:1 ratio of text:notebook pages

8. How to study for open book tests  Don’t assume open book tests are easy. You will need to understand concepts, not just memorize facts.  Organize your notebook.  Ensure you are done all assigned work.  Reread notes & text sections for a fresh perspective on the material.  Make “cheat sheet” pages that include info you think will be on the test.