Notetaking from Lectures and Reading

Suggestions for Listening
1. Sit as close as possible to the speaker. You can improve your listening skills by sitting close, avoiding distractions, and focusing attention on the speaker.
2. Resist the temptation to read or write on other matters than the lecture content during the lecture. Doodle if you must, but do not write letters or do homework for other classes.
3. If you are able to write down everything, do so. If not, be selective.
     a. Definitely copy everything that is written on the board or presented on a screen or other display format.
     b. Write any information that is repeated or accompanied by emphasis clues such as "most important"or "another cause."
     c. Write all numbered or listed items.
     d. Write all terms and their definitions.
     e. If you cannot keep up with the speaker, jot down key nouns and verbs so that you can return to them later and ask
         questions. Some speakers allow the audience to interrupt with relevant questions and with requests to repeat a key
         point.
     f. If other people make points with which the speaker indicates agreement, write those points down and note that they came from the audience.
4. Tape record the lecture only if you have advance permission from the speaker and are unable to keep up with written notes. Most listeners benefit from written notes, even when they are recording the presentation.

Structure of a Traditional Lecture You can improve your listening skills if you can anticipate the order of information. These items are typical of formal lectures and classroom presentations.
1. Opening. Professional speakers sometimes speak informally at first to give the audience a chance to prepare for the main points. Teachers sometimes review previous material or call roll or ask for questions.
2. Main point or thesis. Experienced speakers let the audience know early what their key point or purpose is. In a classroom, teachers may even give a brief overview of the information to be covered during the class. Listen for the main point or points.
3. Body. Here is the information that explains, illustrates, supports, and clarifies the main points. Listen for definitions of terms and concepts as well as lists, examples, and reasons.
4. Summary. Many speakers summarize their key points at the end of a presentation. Pay careful attention the last five minutes of a class. Some professors speak quickly here when they realize they are almost out of time. If you have questions that have not been answered, write them down to ask later.
5. Question-and-answer or discussion period. Some speakers set aside time for questions and general discussion. If you have written down questions or comments during the lecture, you can participate now.

Taking Notes on Reading Assignments Many of the suggestions for taking notes on lectures apply equally to reading notes. However, some additional aids take advantage of the visual clues and typical structure of textbooks, informational essays, and persuasive essays.
1. Scan the material quickly to get a sense of general content and the organization. Pay attention to typical points of emphasis and information:
      a. Titles and subtitles
      b. Headings and other elements in larger or darker (bold face) or slanted (italicized) type
      c. Items in lists with numbers or bullets ()
      d. Items and captions in charts or illustrations
      e. Items in contents and glossaries
2. Read carefully, writing down the main and secondary points, preferably in an outline format. A double-entry system using one side of the page and double spacing to allow for later additions and corrections is helpful.
3. Recognize typical essay structure and write down these key elements from the reading material:
      a. Introduction with thesis that identifies the main overall point and purpose
      b. Beginnings and endings of chapters, which often contain summaries of the key points
      c. Beginnings and endings of paragraphs, which usually contain a clear topic sentence that identifies the main point of the paragraph.
4. Review your notes when you are finished to see whether you feel they are complete. Use this review to highlight significant points and to jot down questions you need to ask the teacher or another student. Many students rewrite their notes into another notebook at the end of the day

Using Your Notes Effectively
1. Soon after the presentation or reading, review your notes and fill in as many gaps as possible from memory. Review previous lecture and reading notes regularly.
2. If you need additional information or help, call or visit the professor during scheduled office hours.
3. Form a study group with one or more students. Compare notes. You can fill gaps in each other's notes and may be able to answer each other's questions.  Statistics show that most successful students work in study groups.
4. As you review your notes, write down all your questions, concerns, and comments. If you have used a double-entry notetaking system, you have a place available for writing these items.
5. Outline your notes as your review them so that you can recognize or create a structure.
6. Paraphrase key elementswrite them in your own words to help you understand and remember them.
7. If you are transcribing a recorded lecture, take time to review the transcription.
8. As you review and outline, look for similarities, differences, causes, effects, and other relationships that might be presented as discussion questions on tests or as topics for papers.

Double-entry Notes and  Journals Divide paper vertically, creating a 2-to-3-inch column on either the right or the left. Use the larger column for main entries and the smaller column for summaries, comments, reflections, and revisions. Some versions divide the page horizontally instead. Small section for summaries, comments, reflections, revisions.
 

Large section for class notes or main journal entries.                    Second section for your ideas/conclusions/questions..

Teacher emphasized these points--used "The Red Wheelbarrow" as model.	I could write poems like this! It's just a list. And chickens?
Imagism 1. Concrete images 2. Strong active verbs 3. Precise nouns 4. Sound effects emphasized 5. Pound, H.D., Hulme, Amy Lowell, Moore	The pictures evolve as the poem progresses. First we see the wheelbarrow, then we see the shiny surface, then we see chickens.