Lifelong Learning Hub (Skye and Lochalsh)

Note Taking

Points to remember:

  • Taking notes is a strategy that develops over time. You are likely to start off with excessive notes. These will reduce over time as you hone your skills.
  • As a learner you cannot be expected to memorize the vast amount of material you will encounter. Note taking is a way of helping you to recall information when you revisit it later. Instead of memorizing materials, you will learn how to be an effective learner and researcher
  • There are many ways to make notes. ‘Note-Taking comes in all shapes and sizes, and different kinds of notes can be useful for different purposes’ (Poole and Kelly, 2004, p. 21)
  • There is no right or wrong method
  • If your preferred method works for you, this is fine
  • No-one will see your notes, so really make them work for you
  • ‘Being good at note-taking involves reading texts in an active way: thinking What is this about? What do I want to remember?’ (Northedge, 1997, p. 47)

Some examples of note-taking strategies:

  • Short Bullet Points (to list key concepts or ideas)
  • Mind Maps (to show key concepts or ideas)
  • Highlighting words, which you feel may be important
  • Underlining words, which stand out as being important
  • Writing brief summaries of your understanding of the material
  • Short note taking. Here, you develop your own shorthand for words you encounter regularly (such as ‘=’ for ‘equals’, > for ‘greater than’ and // for ‘in parallel to’) (Poole and Kelly, 2004, p. 21)
  • A combination of some of the above (highlighting and an accompanying summary of understanding can be very helpful)

You can make your notes in many ways:

  • Electronically
  • On paper
  • Directly within the hard copy of your books – yes, this is fine and actively encouraged!

What to avoid when taking notes

  • Don’t attempt to write everything down, just reflect the main themes. Aim to get the gist of the topic or the main points.
  • Try not to get flustered if you miss something out or come across something you don’t understand. Use a question mark to highlight the point in your notes and come back to it later.
  • Don’t lose track of your purpose in making the notes in the first place – keep focused.
  • Don’t be concerned about whether anyone else could make sense of your notes, you are the only person who needs to read them.
  • Don’t try to remember everything you read or heard in a tutorial session, it can’t be done.
  • Don’t forget to revisit and organise your notes and get them systematically arranged so that you can find the information you need when you want it.
  • Don’t forget to check you have complete references when you revisit your notes, this will save you a lot of time later on if you want to cite particular sources of evidence.
  • Don’t be afraid of trying different ways of taking notes – try lists, colours, bullet points, underlining, highlighting and mind-mapping. Experimenting with various methods helps you discover the technique that suits you.
  • Don’t take notes all the time – spend some time at tutorials engaging with the tutor and other students or just thinking about what you’re doing.

References:

Poole, L. and Kelly, B. (2004) ‘Preparing to Study DD100/DD121: Reading and Note Taking’. Milton Keynes: The Open University.

Northedge, A. (1997) ‘The Good Study Guide’. Milton Keynes: The Open University