Module 2 Strand E2
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Module 2 Strand E2
Note Taking
Note-Taking Strategies (especially important in
intermediate and secondary school environments)
Five R’s of Note-Taking
- Record main ideas and important details
- Reduce to concise phrases
- Recite key information using your concise phrases as cues
- Reflect on your notes by adding your own ideas
- Review all the key information in your notes
Tips for Note-Taking
1. Take notes using either a two- or three column system
2. Take notes on only one side of the paper
3. Date and label topic of notes
4. Generally use a modified outline format, indenting subordinate ideas and numbering ideas when possible
5. Skip line to note changes in ideas
6. Write ideas or key phrases, not complete sentences
7. Use pictures and diagrams to relate ideas
8. Use consistent abbreviations (e.g. w/ = with, & = and)
9. Underline or asterisk information the lecturer stresses as important
10. Write down information the lecturer writes on the board or transparency
11. If you miss an idea you want to include, draw a blank _______so you can back and fill it in
12. If you cannot automatically remember how to spell a word, spell it the way it sounds or the way you think it looks
13. If possible, review the previous session’s notes right before the lecture
14. If the lecture is about an assigned reading topic, read the information before listening to the lecture
15. As soon as possible after the lecture, go over your notes, filling in the key concept column and listing any questions you still have.
16. After going over your notes, try to summarize the major points presented during the lecture
17. Listen actively! Think about what you already know about the topic being presented and how it relates
18. Review your notes before a test.
The 3 R Note-Taking Strategy
A pre-listening strategy to help students prepare themselves for lectures:
- Review notes and materials from previous class
- Read materials related to today’s class
- Relate lecture topic to other topic
A note-taking strategy that incorporates some of the suggestions in the PASSING Note-Taking form M2 SE4 includes:
- Prepare for class
- Attend to the teacher
- State the topic
- State the source
- Identify key words and ideas
- Note their meaning
- Give the meaning in your own words
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