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At the top of the page write Title Author Publisher Date of publication

Divide material into sections that can be read in one study period

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Examine the entire assignmentObserve how the text is organized Organize notes in a similar manner

use the same headings use the same section titles

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When taking notes from a book or an article, it is important to paraphrase and summarize the text paraphrase - rewrite the

text in your own words summarize - use fewer

words to express the main ideas of the text

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Express the ideas in your own words. When you find something particularly important, use a

short quote with quotation marks so you know it is not your paraphrasing always write the page number where you copied the quote

from this is especially helpful if you have to write a report later

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When reading difficult text – concentrate remove distractions

TV, radio, music No multitasking

background music and/or TV detracts from concentration

Stop after each paragraph and ask yourself “what is the writer telling me?”

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What if you are concentrating and still have no idea what is being discussed? Homework

call a friend and compare notes

write down questions to ask teacher Be prepared to discuss

what you need explained Classroom assignment

ask the teacher for assistance

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After you are finished taking notes make sure the notes are in the same order as the text. take some time to get to know your notes never erase existing notes.

Use additional comments to clarify and organize either in a different color pen, or on the left one-third of your note page

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If your notes are unclear, return to the book or article and reread the section. 

If you find you have a lot of notes, it is a good idea to take notes on your notes. Use all the note-taking techniques to draw your attention to the most important areas.

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Write down pertinent information about the text or article

Organize your notes by the chapters or sections in the book or article

Paraphrase and summarize Concentrate. Get help if necessary Organize when you're done

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