THE CRITICAL NOTE
TAKER
Student Resource Centre
HABITS OF THE CRITICAL NOTETAKER
• Critical note takers have a pre-lecture routine
• Critical note takers have on-going rapport with instructors
• Critical note takers have a pre-determined system for organizing notes
• Critical note takers have a strategy for processing lecture content
• Critical note takers write down questions that are raised by instructors, and peers
PRE-LECTURE ROUTINE:
HOW TO BECOME A CRITICAL NOTETAKER
• Attend lectures with some understanding of the assigned content
• Complete all assignments before lecture
• Meet with your instructor ahead of lecture to get suggestions or clues on identifying
important information
• Write down questions that come to mind while you are completing your assigned readings
• Summarize important concepts in your own words
CONT.
• Explain what you have read to a friend, family member, or study buddy shortly
after completing your reading assignments.
WHY IS A PRE-LECTURE ROUTINE
IMPORTANT?
• It refines your ability to distinguish between important and non-essential information during
lectures
RAPPORT WITH INSTRUCTORS
• Set-up bi-weekly meetings with instructors
• Regular meetings with instructors give you the opportunity:
• To get important feedback on your notes
• To ask important questions
• To suggest content delivery techniques that might enhance your ability to absorb the
content
• For example, lecture outlines, lecture summaries, instructor lecture notes, class
discussions, debates, or more visual representation of content
LECTURE PREPARATION
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Pens
Pencils
Paper
Water bottle
Computer
Digital recorder
• (Make-sure you to get the instructor’s permission)
NOTE-TAKING GOALS
• Strive to have legible notes at the end of lecture
• Date all of your notes
• Write down important questions
• Link recent information to past notes
• Summarize notes in your own words
• Explain notes to a friend, family member, or study buddy
NOTE-TAKING SKILLS
• Paraphrase
• Abbreviate
• Use headers and subheadings to organize your notes
• Leave space for adding more information to your notes
POST-LECTURE INFORMATION
PROCESSING
History
• Who developed the idea?
• Where was the idea developed?
• How did it get to this point? Conditions: for example, was it developed in reaction to some other
idea? Did it improve upon a different idea?
• When was it developed?
CONT.
Purpose
• Why was it presented to you in your course?
Critique
• What did you like about the information? Why?
• What you disliked about the information? Why?
• What was missing? Limitations? Why?
CONT.
Compare & contrast
• How is it similar to other ideas you have learned?
• Different?
Organization
• Create a map of the idea, outlining links between ideas.
• Use text, and imagery to represent the idea
• Make it personal (link the content to something in your life)
Practice
• Review what you have learned. Discuss the content with friends, a family member, or a
study buddy
DEALING WITH LECTURE ANXIETY
Focus on your breathing, and
find something in the present
moment to focus on when
experiencing an anxiety attach
Practice proper breathing techniques
outside of class
Visualize your self participating in class successfully
QUESTIONS?
Dr. Abu Kamara
Coordinator, Accessible Learning Services
Abu.kamara@acadiau.ca
http://accessiblelearning.acadiau.ca/Welcome.html
RESOURCES/REFERENCES
• http://bsc.harvard.edu/
• http://www.ucc.vt.edu/academic_support_students/study_skills_information/
note_taking_and_in-class_skills/index.html
• http://web.mit.edu/uaap/learning/