BEST PRACTICE: SUMMARIZING &
NOTETAKING
Sponsored by the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
BEST PRACTICE: SUMMARIZING &
NOTETAKING
BEST PRACTICES
Two of the most useful skills that you as a teacher can teach your students is
summarizing and note taking. These two skills can assist students well beyond
your classes in their chosen professions and postsecondary education.
BEST PRACTICE: SUMMARIZING & NOTETAKING | 1/1/2008
Some students come to CTE classes with a lack of interest and/or skills in
traditional academics. Some skills, such as summarization and note taking can
be taught within the scope of your program. A variety of research on both
summarization and note taking has shown that by providing students with
both, we can give them two of the most important tools for understanding what
they need to learn (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001).
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Summarization and note taking are two of the
most powerful skills that students can learn
because they give students tools for
understanding and identifying the most
important components of what they are
learning.
GETTING STARTED
Techniques for teaching students how to summarize and take notes should be
content relevant and can be made longer or shorter, depending on other
variables, but primarily on what you know about the students ability to learn.
The first thing that you may be asked is the proverbial “why do we have to learn
this?” Summarization and note taking will be skills that can be used beyond
the scope of your class and help students process specific content and
terminology into long-term memory where it can be accessed in the future
(Wormeli, 2005). Summarization, gives the learner an opportunity to
demonstrate their analysis of what a given passage or content area is about.
STEPS IN INSTRUCTION
As with all new instruction, there are steps that when done in order can lead to
students being more successful in learning the task, strategy or item. First, as
explained in the earlier paragraph, it is important that students can see the
relevance of learning something. Explain what you wish them to learn and then
model it. The steps might include:
a. Introduction- Give an example of why it would be important to learn
how to summarize. An example would be when describing Cornell
note taking that it is used primarily in law and medical schools. Ask
students if they believe that students in these schools might need
to learn and retain more information than some other areas. Law
and Public Safety courses frequently have legal terms that
students find difficult and this might help them with learning these
terms and difficult concepts.
Note taking is the restating of information from text and other
forms in a way that the student can best use for review.
While some best practices are specific to
certain curriculum, summarization and note
taking fall under study skills and can be used
in any area for increasing comprehension of
content.
c. Model how summarization and note taking is done. Use your own
curriculum and guide students in the process.
BEST PRACTICE: SUMMARIZING & NOTETAKING | 1/1/2008
b. Describe and define summarization and note taking.
Summarization is restating a portion of text in as few word as
possible that accurately covey the key points of the text (Wormeli,
2005).
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d. Students practice each skill.
a. Summarization- There are many different types of
summarization techniques. If you are serious about teaching
your students various types of techniques, review Rick
Wormeli’s book on Summarization in Any Subject.
Have students make notations in the reading to identify
whether they agree with the author, if they are confused, if they
disagree, if there is evidence to support the statement, if the
statement elicits strong emotion, and so on.
An example might be:
“Good summarizers read text passages at least twice? once to
get the general overview and then again to determine what is
salient.”√
BEST PRACTICE: SUMMARIZING & NOTETAKING | 1/1/2008
Some symbols might be:
3
√
I agree with this
X
I disagree with this
?
I am confused by this
!
This statement is emotive
EV
There is evidence to back this up
The student should use other symbols if they find them more
useful.
After their first reading, they can go back over the passage and
reflect on those areas where they made notations.
b. Note taking- There are many different types of notes with a few
listed here:
i. Outlining- A basic type of note taking where the
main idea in each paragraph and subparagraphs
are listed in indented order. Useful for determining
the structure of the reading.
ii. Cornell Notes- Well-documented method used by
lawyers and doctors in school that divides the note
taking paper into sections: general notes, a large
left margin for main ideas, and a large bottom
margin for question, comments, and summaries.
iv. Verbatim notes are the least effective and the
student attempts to copy each word.
c. Evaluation- Help your students become better at summarization
and note taking by having them self-evaluate and modify for
improvement.
BEST PRACTICE: SUMMARIZING & NOTETAKING | 1/1/2008
iii. Teacher prepared notes (models note taking and
gives students the key points)
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References
Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2005). Classroom instruction that
works. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Wormeli, R. (2005). Summarization in any subject. ASCD.
BEST PRACTICE: SUMMARIZING & NOTETAKING | 1/1/2008
Kamhi-Stein, L. (1993). Summarization, notetaking, and mapping technicques.
ERIC ED360816.
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NOTE: In reviewing the content of this professional development module it may be helpful for
you to use the following tools to take notes, summarize key points and identify ideas to
implement in your classroom:
Cornell Notes Sheet Example - Sample Cornell Notes Sheet that demonstrates how to take
notes, summarize key points, and identify specific ideas for implementation.
Cornell Notes Sheet Blank Form - Blank Cornell Notes Sheet for use in taking notes,
summarizing key points, and identifying specific ideas for implementation.
Mind Map Example - Example of how to use a mind map to take notes, summarize key points,
and identify specific ideas for implementation.
Mind Map Blank Form - Blank Mind Map for use in taking notes, summarizing key points, and
identifying specific ideas for implementation.
BEST PRACTICE: SUMMARIZING & NOTETAKING | 1/1/2008
Professional Development Action Plan - Form to use in taking ideas for implementation from the
professional development module (from Cornell Notes Sheet and/or Mind Map( and planning to
implement them in your classroom.
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SUBJECT: DATE: Summary UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
Action Steps: SUMMARIZING & NOTE TAKING Script
Î Comment 1: Title Comment
Welcome to Best Practices on Summarizing and Note taking..
Î Comment 2: Introduction
Two of the most useful skills that you can teach your students is summarizing and note
taking. These two skills can assist students well beyond your classes in their chosen
professions and postsecondary education.
Î Comment 3: Getting Started
What you teach should be relevant to your content and when students ask, “why do we
have to learn this?” it is important to illustrate how summarization and note taking can
be used in business and industry past the school experience. They are very helpful in
postsecondary education success as well.”
Comment 4: Step in Instruction
Give your students examines of why it is important to learn how to summarize and how
it can be used in their proposed profession. Examples could include describing how
Cornell Notes are used.
Î Comment 5: How to Take Notes
Even as adults, there is much we can learn about developing those skills that can help us
learn more effectively. Taking effective notes is part of those skills. Notes should include
the relevant components of what you are learning and a restating of key points. When
reading passages or taking notes, symbols or notations can be made in the margin to
assist in reviewing content. There are many different types of taking notes.
Î Comment 6: Types of Note Taking
Four popular types of note taking are outlining, Cornell Notes, teacher prepared notes,
and verbatim notes.
Î Comment 7: Case Studies
While each of these are useful in some way, one that will bring your students benefits
beyond high school are Cornell Notes. This method has been shown to improve
retention and learning in students of all ages.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
a.
Outlining- A basic type of note taking where the main idea in each
paragraph and subparagraphs are listed in indented order. Useful for
determining the structure of the reading.
b. Cornell Notes- Well-documented method used by lawyers and doctors in
school that divides the note taking paper into sections: general notes, a large
left margin for main ideas, and a large bottom margin for question,
comments, and summaries.
c.
Teacher prepared notes (models note taking and gives students the key
points)
d. Verbatim notes are the least effective and the student attempts to copy each
word.
Î Comment 9: Review the Handout on Cornell Notes & Use the Blank
Cornell Note Form
Summarization has been proven as a best-practice way in which students can learn
content. But THEY need to be the ones who do it, not you! Guide them through a
summarization exercise and model how it should be done. Then, let then try it.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
SUBJECT: WHAT MAKES A CRIME?
DATE:
July 5, 2008
Subject & Date Notes, details, outline. Key Points/Main Ideas/Maps There are certain things that the law requires to make something illegal.
Is it a crime?
What are the elements of a crime?
Practical examples
If a person is charged but lacks the intent, can they be charged?
Yes, but they will fall under different guidelines and may not get the same
sentence or any sentence at all. They may get counseling or probation.
Two ESSENTIAL elements
Mens Rea & Actus Reus
The Intent
The law stipulates that in order to convict someone of a crime, you must have
intent to commit the crime.
The Act
The law also stipulates that the act must be committed. In other words, if a person
merely threatens to commit a crime of violence, it may not be enough to convict.
McNaughten Rule
Diminished capacity.
Make notes to yourself! What cases come to mind where someone got off due to diminished capacity?
Summary /Action Steps ‐
In your own words. For next class: Get a case where there is one without the other and present to class. Explain the case and then
WHY the other was not appropriate. Be prepared to explain the outcome of the court.
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.
SUBJECT: Teaching Strategies
DATE:
July 5, 2008
Subject & Date Notes, details, outline. Key Points/Main Ideas/Maps Practical Examples, Case Studies, Materials-based Strategies,
Categories of Strategies
Summarizing, Cooperative Learning, Setting Objectives & Feedback,
Multimethodology.
Practical examples
Connects the lesson to the real-world and shows students connections beyond the
Case studies
Scenarios where students can problem-solve and discuss possible solutions.
alternatives
Materials-based Strategies The materials “give” you the strategy (e.g., organizers)
Summarizing
Steps or by outlining and then reviewing the highlights. Use Cornell Notes Summary!
Cooperative Learning
Heterogeneous groups, small, give instruction to groups, each student has a role
for individual accountability.
Setting
Students need to know what is required of them/feedback helps
Objectives/feedback
them know if they are on the right track!
Multimethodology
Using a variety of techniques
Make notes to yourself! Where can I find more???????
Choosing the strategy!
How?!?!?!
Research, best practice, will it fit my program?, will it work?
Summary /Action Steps ‐
In your own words. Numerous types of teaching strategies ….. gives instruction variety, it can enhance student learning and
motivate students who may have lost interest. A strategy that does not work with one class may work with
another; KNOW my students and the topic in order to successfully implement!
UNT in partnership with TEA, Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.