Linda Janke -- on-line course -- Note-Taking Tips

A few comments:

See below for some selections from two study skills publications that will give you a sense of why note-taking is important, and some general tips about how to take notes from books.

As you are doing the weekly reading assignments, I recommend that you take notes in a notebook or type them into your computer.  It is best to take notes in your own words -- for one, you avoid the issue of possible plagiarism/cheating, and secondly, taking notes in your own words helps your brain to process the material.  Additionally, taking notes will help you comprehend the reading and will help you prepare for the quiz.  Even though the reading quizzes are "open book," having good notes will help you remember the answers and/or help you locate them during the quiz.  (you might want to put page numbers next to your notes.)  Secondly, as you take notes, you should also jot down (perhaps on a separate page, perhaps in a separate column) ideas you have for discussion.  What are your reactions to the readings as you're doing them?

I suggest that you actively take notes, and use a combination of underlining, high-lighting, margin notes, taking notes by hand into your notebook and/or typing notes in your computer.  Taking notes will be easier if you print out all of the readings.


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Why Note-Taking is Important (from a study skills series)
The following list provides a few reasons why note taking is an important activity:

• Taking notes will help you to extend your attention span (Rowntree, 1976: 112).  When reading or listening, your mind may tend to wander off.  You might be inclined to think about work, money, or relationships.  It is quite easy for other aspects of your life to pop into your head while you are listening to a lecture or while you are reading.  Taking notes helps keep you focused on your subject area and to the task at hand (Kesselman-Turkel and Peterson, 1982: 2). 
• Taking notes will help you to remember what you have heard or read (Kesselman-Turkel and Peterson, 1982: 3).  We learn more effectively when we use multiple senses and multiple activities.  When note-taking we are using listening and writing skills and we are using our brain and muscles.  Also, by writing down notes, you are paraphrasing the lecture or reading material into your own words and into a format that you are more likely to understand when you review the notes.  And as an adult learner you are more likely to remember what you have heard or read if you take an active part in your learning.  Rather than being a passive listener or reader, note taking makes you an active learner.  The notes you produce are your own work and are a visible reminder of the effort you have put into the course.  This in itself can be a motivational factor for your study!      
• Note taking helps you to organize the ideas you are learning about (Kesselman-Turkel and Peterson, 1982: 3-6).  Good notes should arrange topics into easy-to-review chunks of information that are clear and well referenced.  This is important if you’re using your notes to review for an examination or for as a starting point in an assignment (Rowntree, 1976: 112).

Tips on Taking Notes from Textbooks (from the Homework Center)

1. Organize your paper the same as for class notes.
   • Put the date at the top of the page.
   • Write down the name of the book and the chapter or section you will be taking notes from.
   • Leave space in the left margin or between ideas for your own comments or questions.
2. Get a general idea of what the reading is about.
   • Read the introduction, headings and subheadings, and any paragraphs that summarize the content.
   • Look at any illustrations or graphs and charts and read the captions.
3. Go back and read the chapter or section carefully. Look for the main ideas.
4. Try not to copy information directly from the textbook into your notes. Instead, summarize the information in your own words. This will help you to concentrate and learn.
5. If you do copy directly from the textbook, use quotation marks to indicate that it is a direct quotation. Take care to copy the quotation exactly.
6. Summarize the main ideas at the end of your notes and circle them.