Taking Notes

Taking Notes

Note taking helps prepare for doing assignments and tests. It helps us learn.

Major Benefits of Note Taking

1.
Very Important! - - Gets your own mind more closely involved in the learning situation.

2.
Very Important! - - YOU TAKE OWNERSHIP of the material!

3.
Very Important! - - Tends to lock the information into your mind!

General Comments on How to Take Notes

1.
Take notes during an announcement, lecture, demonstration, or self-study.

2.
In textbooks, use "Post-It" notes. Please listen to this! Don't mark on the book's pages unless you own it.

3.
Put your notes directly on handouts.

4.
If you can't put Post-It notes in a book or write on a handout, use blank sheets of paper.

Always put a heading on the paper.

Date,

Subject,

Notes page number.

Book page number.

Include anything else that might be helpful to you later, when reviewing the notes.

WHAT to "note" Down

1.
"Note THIS!" - - Mind set = "Lets see if I can pick out the really important stuff?"

2.
Teacher might tell you, in one way or another. He may tell you what to focus upon, or which points are likely to cause problems for students. Write down this information! examples are: "This is very important..." "Look out that you DON'T do this..." "Here is a 'Gotcha!'," "Note this down," or "this is on the test"!

3.
Teachers usually emphasize - - Repeat: emphasize - - the important ideas or areas where students are more likely to make mistakes. Listen to teacher's voice for emphasis! Look for that emphasis, and note the item he emphasized!

4.
Listen for clues that teacher is going to give you a list, and if possible how many items in the list. such as... "Here are 5 things..." "Here is a list of steps..." "Here are some things to remember..." Then try to number the notes as you take them, assigning each item to a new number.

5.
Sometimes a teacher will add something during a demonstration or lecture that is not in the textbook or handout. He may say something like "I forgot to put this in." or "Add this to the instructions." He probably has added it because he realized that something important was left out of the written material. Write that down in your handout or on a “Post-It” and put it in your book.

6.
This is a BIG idea! Repeating something just said is a clue that it is important!

7.
Listen for dates of events.

8.
Listen for numbers, such as ages, quantities, dollar values, speeds, heights, etc.

9.
Things the teacher writes on the board.

HOW to Write Notes

1.
Practice / Learn to write fast. You are in a hurry!

2.
Notes do not have to be complete sentences. Notes do not have to be complete sentences.

3.
Notes do not have to be correct English or correct spelling!

4.
They are written only for you!

5.
A note could be:

Only a single word,

A circle drawn around an important concept,

Just an arrow pointing at something important.

Underline.

Using a highlighter is good too.

6.
Circle a phrase like “Let go of the shift key LAST.” --- Then underline LAST.

7.
Often you can leave out letters, like writing "tst" instead of "test." Or Thnksg for Thanksgiving.

8.
You can substitute, like "b4" for "before."

Additional Comments

1.
If the teacher is talking too fast, ask him to slow down, "because you want to take notes." Most will be glad to! But please, do not abuse this!

2.
When taking notes from a book, always include the page number in your notes! That allows you to go directly back to that point in the book, if you need to reread it.

3.

After class:

Immediately review your notes to be sure they make sense to you.

Add stuff if needed to make them clearer.

Put the date on the notepaper.

Review your notes as you work on an assignment, and before taking the test on that material.

The effort you make now to learn to take notes will pay you back many times over, in the form of doing better in all of your classes with less effort!

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! And may the best student get the highest grade!

Page TOP - - - Super Student Contents, "Habits"
Unschool Super Student Contents, "Habits" - - - Master Contents

	Major Benefits of Note Taking
1.	Very Important! - - Gets your own mind more closely involved in the learning situation.
2.	Very Important! - - YOU TAKE OWNERSHIP of the material!
3.	Very Important! - - Tends to lock the information into your mind!

	General Comments on How to Take Notes
1.	Take notes during an announcement, lecture, demonstration, or self-study.
2.	In textbooks, use "Post-It" notes. Please listen to this! Don't mark on the book's pages unless you own it.
3.	Put your notes directly on handouts.
4.	If you can't put Post-It notes in a book or write on a handout, use blank sheets of paper. Always put a heading on the paper. Date, Subject, Notes page number. Book page number. Include anything else that might be helpful to you later, when reviewing the notes.

	WHAT to "note" Down
1.	"Note THIS!" - - Mind set = "Lets see if I can pick out the really important stuff?"
2.	Teacher might tell you, in one way or another. He may tell you what to focus upon, or which points are likely to cause problems for students. Write down this information! examples are: "This is very important..." "Look out that you DON'T do this..." "Here is a 'Gotcha!'," "Note this down," or "this is on the test"!
3.	Teachers usually emphasize - - Repeat: emphasize - - the important ideas or areas where students are more likely to make mistakes. Listen to teacher's voice for emphasis! Look for that emphasis, and note the item he emphasized!
4.	Listen for clues that teacher is going to give you a list, and if possible how many items in the list. such as... "Here are 5 things..." "Here is a list of steps..." "Here are some things to remember..." Then try to number the notes as you take them, assigning each item to a new number.
5.	Sometimes a teacher will add something during a demonstration or lecture that is not in the textbook or handout. He may say something like "I forgot to put this in." or "Add this to the instructions." He probably has added it because he realized that something important was left out of the written material. Write that down in your handout or on a “Post-It” and put it in your book.
6.	This is a BIG idea! Repeating something just said is a clue that it is important!
7.	Listen for dates of events.
8.	Listen for numbers, such as ages, quantities, dollar values, speeds, heights, etc.
9.	Things the teacher writes on the board.

	HOW to Write Notes
1.	Practice / Learn to write fast. You are in a hurry!
2.	Notes do not have to be complete sentences. Notes do not have to be complete sentences.
3.	Notes do not have to be correct English or correct spelling!
4.	They are written only for you!
5.	A note could be: Only a single word, A circle drawn around an important concept, Just an arrow pointing at something important. Underline. Using a highlighter is good too.
6.	Circle a phrase like “Let go of the shift key LAST.” --- Then underline LAST.
7.	Often you can leave out letters, like writing "tst" instead of "test." Or Thnksg for Thanksgiving.
8.	You can substitute, like "b4" for "before."

	Additional Comments
1.	If the teacher is talking too fast, ask him to slow down, "because you want to take notes." Most will be glad to! But please, do not abuse this!
2.	When taking notes from a book, always include the page number in your notes! That allows you to go directly back to that point in the book, if you need to reread it.
3.	After class: Immediately review your notes to be sure they make sense to you. Add stuff if needed to make them clearer. Put the date on the notepaper. Review your notes as you work on an assignment, and before taking the test on that material.