Note-takingClare Willan

Sgiliau Astudio

Study Skills

Aim: Students will acquire three strategies for taking notes.

Objectives:

1. You will explore a range of ways to take notes.

2. You will practise selecting and recording key information.

Three styles of note-taking

There are three main styles of note-taking.

1. Guided notes

2. Linear notes

3. Mind mapping

Guided notes

Guided notes are produced by using a framework.

I have given you a framework for this session.

When you jot ideas in each of the boxes, you are making guided notes.

Making linear notes

Get your piece of paper and draw a line vertically 6cm in from the left-hand side.

Read the article about Facebook and underline the main points.

Working on your own, make linear notes about the content of the article.

You have 5 minutes to complete this task.

Mind mapping

A mind map is a diagram giving information.

Mind mapping

In pairs, create a mind map of the information you have gained from the Facebook article.

You can use colour coding and highlighting if you wish.

Things to remember

Read and review your notes after your class. Add to them and make sure you understand what you have written.

Notes do not have to be beautiful. They have to be useful. There is no need to write them out again unless you can’t follow what you have written.

Use the note-taking style that suits you best.

Beware of lending your original notes to other people. They are valuable.

Resources for note-taking

Post it notes – paper and electronic

Apps

Prezi for mind mapping and presentations

Go to www.prezi.com

Create an account

Play around with the mind mapping tool

Recap

What are the three ways of taking notes that we have looked at?

Why is it important to take notes?

Which way of note-taking do you prefer?

Thank you for participating!

Nadolig Llawen!