Communication Skills

3.2.2 Note taking techniques

What is note taking?

It is a practice of recording information captured from a transient source, such as an oral discussion at a meeting, or a lecture. Notes of a meeting are called minutes. The format of the initial record is informal or unstructured one common format for such notes is short hand. Which can allow large amounts of information can be put on a paper very quickly. Notes are usually written in note books, some people also use post it notes.

The pre requisite:

Note Taking is a skill you can develop. However, you have to develop another skill before you become a good note maker. This prerequisite is good listening skill. Concentrate on the lecture (contents) rather than the lecturer. Listen with an open mind finally, sit in the front (if possible) row and maintain eye contact with speaker and take notes.

Why to take lecture notes?

1. Taking notes forces you to listen carefully and tests your understanding of the

material.

2. Reviewing notes helps you to guage what is important in the text.

3. Personal notes are easier to remember than the text.

4. Taking notes helps you to remember longer.

Clues to important points in lectures

1. The words written on the black board are usually those that the teacher feels Important and must be remembered and understood.

2. The teachers usually repeat words phrases or information he deems important.

3. The importance of the contents can also be judged by the tone, voice and gestures of the teachers or the amount of time he spends on the points and number of examples he gives.

4. Summary given by the teacher at the end of the class.

5. Reviews given at the beginning of class are also clues to important points.

Develop a method of taking notes.

Each student has his known method of taking notes. However,

1. Make your notes brief never use a complete sentences.

2. Use abbreviations and symbols as much as possible.

Example:

fr -From	Vs-against
w/ -with	N.B –Note well
w/o- without	etc – and so forth
e.g. – example	? – questionable item
c.f. – compare with	Q – question
re – in reference to	ref – reference

i.e - that is

ˆ - therefore

ø - important

3. Omit vowels in words such as transfer becomes transfer

4. Write your notes in your own words

5. Use numbering system or out line form

a)Charting : Creating graphs or tables with row and columns or flow chart.

b)Outlining: I First topic

A. Sub topic

1.

2.

B. Sub – Topic

II. Main topic

C. Sub topic

1.

2.

6. Use mapping: Ideas are written in free structure with lines connecting them together. Usually starts from centre and branches out also use different color to represent each idea.

7. Date your notes and number the pages too.

8. Do not use every space of the page. Leave some space so that missing words or your inference can be written at the end of the lecture or co ordinate with text books.

9. Give visual emphasis to the important ideas by doing

1. Underline key statements or important concepts may be   with colors.

2. Use signal marks: Arrows, asterisks.

10. Take notes on only one side of the papers not both sides.

Although, economising is secondary importance.

Suggested note taking techniques .

Enough research as been done on note taking two techniques have been fond best.

The 2 – 3 – 3 - 2 Technique.

When the lecturer present or discus the contents of Text book then go for this method.

Headings
A	B	C
2 O	3 O	3 O
2 O D

Use this column

A = Recall clues helps you to recall concepts / ideas

B = Use this for lecture notes

C = Use this for text book notes

D = Write your own observation

The 2 - 5 – 1 Technique.

Use this technique when the lecture and the readings (text book) are not closely related.

Headings
A	B	C
2 O	5 O	1 O

ie (lecture notes)

Headings
A	B	C
2 O	5 O	1 O

ie (Text book notes)

A = Use this column for recall clues.

B = Use this column for lecture or Text notes

C = Use this column for your observations.