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Topic X Note-making

and Note-taking
Skills

LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1.

Differentiate between annotation, outline notes, column notes,


mind maps and summary notes;

2.

Develop skills in making notes from printed matter; and

3.

Use the note-taking suggestions to develop good notes based on


classroom discussions.

X" INTRODUCTION
You will discover that throughout your course, you have to read various types of
information resources such as your course module, handouts and notes from
your tutors as well as a variety of reference materials in print and electronic
format from the Tan Sri Dr Abdullah Sanusi Digital Library. There is no other
way to deal with all the information resources that you have obtained and
successfully retrieved from the various sources and resources except to reduce
them to notes.
In the context of learning at OUM, you will find that note-taking and notemaking are part and parcel of learning, be it from the module, tutorials, books,
journals or the Internet. You must, however, realise that note-taking and notemaking do not mean taking down every word that the tutor says or copying
verbatim every word found in books, journals and websites.

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What to note down, how much to note down and how detailed the notes should
be, are important skills to be learned. It is critical, therefore for you to develop
basic skills in note-taking and note-making because the ability to take good notes
will save you the time and effort that could better be applied to your studies.
If you are able to take and make good notes, you will save time in terms of:
(a)"

Having to look for the original text; or

(b)" Having to look through massive piles of notes just to retrieve the specific
information that you need.
In this topic, you will be introduced to the various techniques of note-making
and note-taking.

7.1

WAYS OF WRITING NOTES

There is no one proper way to write notes. It is personal and a matter of


preference. It also depends on the situation and the purpose of writing notes. For
example, making notes from the module or other print resources is different from
taking notes at tutorials or group discussions, in that it may be easier to make
notes from the passive module whereas live or dynamic sessions like
discussions are more difficult because the information coming forth is not
organised but spontaneous. Here, we will learn five different ways of writing
notes:
(a)

Annotation;

(b)

Outline notes;

(c)

Column notes;

(d)

Mind maps; and

(e)

Summary notes.

7.1.1

Annotation

This is a suitable method for making notes from print modules, textbooks,
articles or any other resources. You can make notes by writing in the margins,
underlining facts, highlighting the main points, using question marks, ticks or
crosses to show whether you agree or disagree with the points made in the text
as illustrated in Figure 7.1. This method will help you to not only remember the
main points, but will also enable you to remember without having to read the
text all over again.

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If you do not like writing in the books, you may want to use strips of paper to
mark the pages with the notes written on the strips. The test of good annotation
is when you revisit the book; you should understand the notes without having
to read the pages, the topic or paragraph all over again.

Figure 7.1: An example of annotation

7.1.2

Outline Notes

Use only keywords and phrases. The notes are usually sequentially numbered, or
headings, subheadings and indentation can be used. Figure 7.2 illustrates the
format for outline notes.

Figure 7.2: An example of the outline format of note-making

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Column Notes

The column format of note-making as shown in Figure 7.3 is more appropriate


for Mathematics and Science courses. Column notes are useful for listing down
the steps, explanation of procedures, or for comparison between items, etc.

Figure 7.3: An example of the column format of note-making

7.1.4

Mind Maps

Mind maps do not follow a linear sequence. The main topic forms the nucleus,
while the main ideas and concepts branch out from it. A mind map shows
relationships among ideas and concepts, with lines serving as links. Figure 7.4
shows an example of a mind map.

Figure 7.4: An example of a mind map

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Summary Notes

You may prefer to summarise text information when making notes. Summary
notes are a condensed version of the information, written in paragraph form, as
shown in Figure 7.5. If you decide to summarise your text information, you need
to break down the topic into smaller chunks or parts. Sometimes, you may opt
for this method of making notes when you cannot construct some sort of topic
and subtopic organisation because there is none.

Figure 7.5: An example of summary notes

7.2

MAKING NOTES FROM PRINTED MATTER

In writing notes from your module or other resources, the following are some
suggestions. (Bear in mind that you can apply the annotation, outline notes,
column notes, mind maps and summary notes methods to produce effective
notes).
(a)"

Understand the objectives, so that notes are more focused on what is


important in the topic.

(b)" Read the whole topic and then try to summarise it in a few sentences in
your own words. Do not take notes while reading through the topic
because you will tend to write too much. Use the note-making techniques
that have been suggested.
(c)"

Leave spaces in between notes, to allow for additions or changes later.

(d)" Reread the topic and improve on the notes, providing more details.

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(e)"

Use your own words instead of copying from the text. This will help you
understand the material better.

(f)"

If you copy word for word, sentences or phrases from the topic, do not
forget to put them in inverted commas to show that they are quoted from
the topic. Do not also forget to write down the original source from where
the notes are taken (author, title, year of publication and page number).

(g)" Read over your notes to make sure you understand them. If they do not
make sense at that point, you can be sure they will not make sense at any
other time in the future!

ACTIVITY 7.1
Compare your style of making notes to the ways of writing notes
given here. Are there any differences? Write down the differences and
share this with your coursemates.

7.3

TAKING NOTES DURING TUTORIALS

Taking notes during tutorials is a difficult task; unlike a book, you cannot control
the flow of speech, you cannot expect the tutor to repeat the entire tutorial, and
you cannot demand that the tutor organise his points or moderate his speed just
so that you can take notes more effectively during tutorial. The following
subsections are suggestions on how you can better prepare yourself for tutorials
so that it will be easier to take notes effectively.

7.3.1

Preparing Yourself for Tutorials

No skills will be effective if you are not prepared for the class. It is important that
you read through the whole topic first before you enter your class so that whatever
is discussed in class or whatever is spoken by the tutor is familiar to you.
Pre-reading helps you in the following ways:
(a)

It activates your prior knowledge;

(b)

It builds mental schemas; and

(c)

It enables you to make intelligent connections.

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This will lead to better understanding of the material you are reading and
eventually build interest in the classroom. Read critically using your own
experience and opinion. This will help you to develop background knowledge.
Thus, you will be able to conceptualise the course content discussed in the
tutorials as well as improve your understanding of the subject.
Basically, to be prepared, you must read! You have learned how to optimise your
reading in Topic 6, but reading the module alone is not enough. You have to get
more supporting material or resources to increase your knowledge of the course
content. As highlighted in these sections, while reading is crucial in getting ready
for the class, note-making is equally significant. Note-making will reinforce your
understanding of what you have read for the course. As such, you are urged to
use these skills effectively to prepare yourself for the tutorials.
Even if you do not understand all that is being presented, you will at least
understand the basic ideas. Being familiar with the issues raised during tutorials
makes note-taking easier and you will be able to improvise your own notes that
you have made while reading.

ACTIVITY 7.2
Based on your reading style, how would you make notes from your
module before attending the tutorials?

7.3.2

Listening During Tutorials

Now that you are prepared with some basic knowledge of the topic, your main
goal is to get the tutors intended message in the actual classroom. However, the
message may not always be clear. Thus, it is important that you listen attentively
and take notes. Many learners feel that because they can hear, they are listening.
Hearing and listening are two different things. Letting the words flow into your
ear is not listening. Listening is a thinking activity and is the most commonly used
method of learning. Your listening can be improved with instruction and practice.
In the following section, we share with you the various strategies you can use to
become a more effective listener in a face-to-face tutorial:
(a)

Avoid distractions that may interfere with your concentration (i.e. do not sit
next to a coursemate who talks too much or whose personality or looks are
a constant distraction, or do not sit near the doorway or window where
there are too many disturbing sounds or movements).

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(b)

Listen to the message being said, paying attention to the emphasis given by
the tutor to the topic. You must know what information was transmitted in
the class.

(c)

Always relate the ideas to previous tutorial discussions, to your module


and other supporting resources and to your previous experiences.

(d)

Look for clues from the tutor that might give some indication as to what
can be considered as important points. If the tutor uses illustrations and
focuses longer on certain issues, these can be the clues to look out for.
Clues can be in vocal or visual form.

(e)

Take notes, since some information might not be in your module and you
need to record this information for your future reference. Notes can also act
as an alternative form of memory as it is impossible for you to remember
accurately everything you hear. Keep the notes, as they will help you in
preparing for your assessments.

(f)

Identify noteworthy material. Be able to differentiate the things you should


write down and things you can ignore. DO NOT COPY EVERYTHING
THAT IS SAID BY YOUR TUTOR!

(g)

Write down the date/time of tutorial/name of tutor/subject discussed.


This is important when you have to revise months later and need to refer to
the sequence of tutorials or subjects dealt with.

(h)

Try to identify key issues, keywords and key phrases. Jot them if you
cannot take notes systematically. Jot them down immediately. You may
apply any of the five note-making ways i.e. annotation, outline notes,
column notes, mind maps and summary notes, whichever you are
comfortable with.

(i)

Create spaces as you take notes. There are a few formats that you can apply
in note-taking as shown in Figures 7.1 to 7.5.

(j)

Use your own abbreviations based on your needs and comfort level for
quick and short note-taking. You may try to eliminate vowels, (e.g. in
you take the y and o away; in student take the u and e away).
The following are some examples of abbreviations and symbols (please
refer to Figures 7.6 and 7.7):

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Figure 7.6: Abbreviations

Figure 7.7: Symbols

It is not easy taking notes when you also have to listen to what is being presented
by the tutor and your classmates. Apart from this, there are other challenges,
such as a boring tutor, unclear slides, faulty LCD projector, etc. These are but
some of the few obstacles to effective note-taking.

ACTIVITY 7.3
1."

In your opinion, how do listening skills help in note-taking?

2."

How does one take notes in an environment where ones


hearing, and sight are distracted? Discuss with your
coursemates.

7.3.3

Review After Tutorial

Now what should we do after the tutorial? Here are some suggestions:
(a)"

Review your notes as soon as possible after the tutorial, because the longer
you wait to review, the less you will remember.

(b)" Rewrite if necessary and fill in the gaps by using other peoples notes or
reading your library material.
(c)"

Verify your notes by reading your recommended text or other references,


or compare them with notes taken by classmates to ensure that the facts
and diagrams are correct.

(d)" Supplement your notes with further reading to add value to your learning.
(e)"

Read and reread your notes so that by the time the examinations are due
you are familiar with the notes.

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Use them to answer past years papers. This will be a test of their reliability.

(g)" Keep them safe and in a system that is easy for you to retrieve and use.

ACTIVITY 7.4
Specify the problems you faced in taking notes at your last tutorial.

ACTIVITY 7.5
1.

List five ways to make notes.

2.

Give three reasons why you need to read before attending a


tutorial session.

3.

Read the passage below and make your own notes in the
following formats:
(a)

Outline; and

(b)

Mind map.

The traditional teacher-pupil relationship was authoritarian, with


the teacher dominating classroom learning to the extent that it
reduced the pupil to a position of inferiority and submissiveness.
Hence, it is not a coincidence that this relationship was also
termed the master-pupil relationship. In the effort to achieve equal
opportunity, authoritarian attitudes and practices are being
questioned. Equal opportunity in learning means that learners
need to be considered as individuals, each with his own ability
and learning potential, working at their different paces and in
different ways. This takes into account differences in the learners
learning styles and approaches. Various research projects have
been undertaken about learning which provide insights into how
learners learn, particularly how they learn:
(a)"

As individuals;

(b)"

At various rates; and

(c)"

According to different styles and patterns.

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Electronic Taking and Making Notes

We cannot deny that the simple pen and paper is still one of the best ways to
build information records. However, besides the good old-fashioned way, some
digital devices have excellent and reliable alternatives for capturing notes in the
electronic form. We will be introducing three of the popular electronic taking
note tools, namely Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, and Google Notebook. There
are many more tools which you can explore on your own.
(a)"

Evernote
Evernote (see Figure 7.8) is a free tool for taking and making notes. It has
built in support for text, images, audio, tagging and syncing between its
web interface and all of your desktop installations. Images you add to
Evernote are searchable by text, and Evernote even supports several mobile
devices such as the iPhone and Windows mobile phones. You can use
Evernote's web interface and clipping bookmarklet to pull anything into
your notebook. Bookmarklet are tools for making bookmarks in the digital
device. Evernote is free to use and provides 40MB per month of upload
space and if you pay a fee you will get more MB.

Figure 7.8: Evernote

(b)" Microsoft OneNote


Figure 7.9 shows us that Microsoft OneNote is an excellent note-taking and
making application that integrates with Windows in your computer.
OneNote 2007 syncs with the web and other computers, provides two-way
sync with Windows mobile phones. It features quick searching of all your
notes. OneNote's marquee feature is support for handwriting recognition
on tablet and allows you to search your handwriting without converting it
to text. However, OneNote is not a free shareware.

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Figure 7.9: Microsoft OneNote


Source: http://www.genbeta.com/herramientas/cinco-aplicaciones-imprescindiblespara-la-vuelta-al-cole

(c)"

Google Notebook (Web-based, Free)


Figure 7.10 shows us a screen capture of Google Notebook, a web-based
note-taking application that enables you to use its interface and search
capabilities in your notes. The application includes a rich-text editor,
labelling for tagging purposes and integration with Google Bookmark
(Figure 7.11). The Google Notebook add-on for Firefox and Internet
Explorer makes adding notes and clips to Google Notebook a breeze.

Figure 7.10:Google Notebook, Web-based, Free


Source: http://lifehacker.com/399556/five-best-note-taking-tools

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Figure 7.11: Google Bookmark


Source: http://lifehacker.com/399556/five-best-note-taking-tools

Some of the key features that your note-taking tool and making should have are:
easy editing, efficient tools to highlight and annotate, intelligent folders for quick
search and the ability to sync with other devices. The following tips will help you
to take notes more effectively:
(a)"

Stay Focus and Engaged


Typing notes is faster than handwriting. However, this could be a problem
as you may be too involved in copying down what the tutor is saying and
passively transcribe lectures without thinking about their meanings. It is
good practise to listen to what the tutor is saying then jot down the key
points in a summary. Summarising information actually forces learners to
engage with the material. You will think about lectures more deeply,
process and commit the information to memory. You are able to convert
information to knowledge when you are engaged with what you are
learning.

(b)" Edit and Consolidate


Always re-look through your notes after each class. Consolidate all the
really important points in your notes and remove what are not. This will
help to clarify and make more sense of your notes.
(c)"

Organise
Use a system to organise your lecture or research notes. You may want to
include date, topic title, author, page number or any other information that
will help in easy retrieval.

(d)" Make Your Notes Available Anywhere


You should be able to input and access your notes between various digital
devices. Importantly, being a mobile learner, you should be able to access
your notes from anywhere with your mobile devices.

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Choose a Tool
Find a tool that is really useful and works well for you in taking notes and
stick to it. It will be just a matter of time that you will be familiar with the
functions of the tool and you can concentrate more on getting work done
rather than searching for other tools.

So, whether you decide to take notes electronically or by pen, the note-taking
process should aid your thinking actively.

x" Note-making and note-taking are crucial to your learning because they help
you to organise and merge information and make them relevant or applicable
to your module, tutorial and online discussions.
x" Good notes will help you save time and effort (and avoid agony) when it is
time for you to write assignments or prepare for examinations.

Annotation

Mind map

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