Notetaking Lessons

Before you begin, reflect on your CURRENT way of working by completing the form below:

Information comes in various ways!

Depending on the situation, you may choose one note-taking system or another

Consider the following situations:

• Lecture 
• Video / Film
• Reading
• Math Problems
• Research

RULES for all situations!

• Write on one side only
• Leave space - empty lines between ideas, wide and empty margins
• Write in short phrases - no sentences

WATCH for full details and ask yourself:

• In what situations do I usually take notes?

Check out the tips in these two videos for ACTIVE reading:

1. Pseudo-skimming
2. Read backwards (see conclusions, final questions, summaries before reading)
3. Ask questions WHILE you read - Create a question from each sub-heading and try to answer it as you read
4. Watch the formatting - bold and italic items, larger fonts
5. Annotate as you read with pencil in the book or on post-it notes or write notes

1. Highlight key points
2. Write in the margins
3. Read out loud
4. Explain what you read to someone else
5. Test yourself
6. Highlight key points

After watching, ask yourself:

• Which of these strategies am I already using?
• Which might I add to my reading routine?

Cornell Notes are good for....

• Lecture or Film
• Reading

What's the point?

• Keep empty space on the page - WHITE space! 
• Add extra information later
• Add organizational headings within the notes or alongside on the left
• Space for a title, date at the top
• Space for a summary at the bottom   

How to set up the page:

• Keep a space along the top for title, date, course, etc
• Split the page into two columns: left side is one-third of the space, right side is two-thirds of the space
• Keep a space along the bottom for a summary, questions, comments to be filled in LATER during your study time.

WATCH: to see how Cornell Notes work

Optional Resources:

• Five types of note-taking styles (printable)
• How to Take Great Notes:

• Cornell Notes

(Ok, this is a longer one but I am OBSESSED with this student's system!)

See part 2 and part 3 as well

(There are million note-taking videos - careful not to get hooked!)

Two-Column or "Double Entry" Notes are good for...

• Math Problems
• Lecture, Film
• Reading

Two-Column Notes are the same as Cornell EXCEPT...

• the columns are the same width
• the summary is not used

Especially good for MATH because...

• Plenty of space for the problem on the right and a bullets about the process on the left
• See examples below 
• QUESTION: How might two-column notes help you in Math class?

Watch this math teacher take notes (below).

You can skip ahead at times, just get a sense of how the extra white space is used

Student examples:

Concept mapping is difficult "in the moment" when first hearing something new

So, it's good for...

• Reading Notes
• Re-learning and reorganizing in-class notes

How to do it:

• Identify key point (central idea - will go in the center!)
• Identify sub points
• Identify evidence and supporting details 
• Identify key vocabulary and where it fits
• Place key idea in the center and organize supporting information in branches as a web from that central idea
• Make it STICK: Use Color! and shapes, arrows, drawings to help your ideas stick in your mind

Watch these videos about types of Concept Maps:

• Star, Spider, Cluster Map: Organize information around a central idea (most common)
• Chapter Map: Follow the text structures of the chapter (headings, etc)
• Fish bone Map: Shows interactions related to a particular event or idea
• Cycle & Processes Map: Lists major steps, progression of a processes
• Compare/Contrast Map: Identifies similarities and differences about a concept (can be Venn Diagram or matrix)

Match the examples below to the type of concept map above:

#1 - What type of concept map?

#2 - What type of concept map?

#3 - What type of concept map?

#4 - What type of concept map?

#5 - What type of concept map?

Show what you know about note-taking in different situations.

You may review the information in the various tabs or look at any notes you took while completing the quiz. 

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