Brian Brausch
Taking Notes
 Involves
3 major tasks:
 Effective listening
 Effective observation
 Effective note taking
Effective Listening
Humans are poor listeners
 FOCUS
 Be alert, be aware
 Active process which
begins before class

Effective Listening: In Class
Find a good seat, comfortable
 Pay attention purposefully
 Listen for cues
 Resist distractions
 Don’t let your mind wander
 Take notes while you listen
 Be in the moment
 Awareness Test

Are you easily distracted?
Arrive at each class prepared
 Arrive on time
 Sit near the front
 Do not doodle
 Stop daydreaming
 Look at the teacher

Before Note Taking
positive – Attitude is everything
 Find a style that fits you
 Read
 Prepare a list of questions
 BE PREPARED!!!
 Be
B
E
F
O
R
E
During Note Taking
 Important
ideas only
 Listen and Look for cues (In other
words…, Most importantly…)
 Leave open spaces if you get behind
 Use abbreviations
 Record Questions
D
U
R
I
N
G
After Note Taking
 Verbalize
your understanding to
another student
 Compare with classmates
 Revise notes as appropriate
 Review your notes, clarify
 Rehearse aloud
 Highlight
A
F
T
E
R
Note Taking

Many methods, 5 outlined here:
 The Cornell Method
 The Outline Method
 The Mapping Method
 The Charting or PEPPS Method
 The Sentence Method
The Outlining Method
 Main
points on farthest left side,
subsequent points follow indents
 Example:
 Note Taking
○ 2 skills needed
 Effective listening
 Effective note taking
○ 5 methods
 Cornell Met., Outlining Met., Mapping Met., Outlining
Met., Sentence Met.
The Mapping Method

A graphic representation of the lecture content
The Cornell Method





Draw a line down the page vertically 2 ½
inches from left hand side
Take notes on right side, leave few lines
between each point
After class, write cues or questions in left
margin
Review and test yourself by covering notes
and leaving cues
Saves you having to rewrite your notes to
study for exams
The Charting Method (PEPPS)
Good for history lectures
 Draw columns/ categories and insert
notes as necessary

PERIOD EVENT
PLACE
19391945
Europe,
Hitler, Tojo Atom Bomb,
West Pacific FDR,
Cold War,
Churchill, Holocaust
Mussolini
WWII
PEOPLE
SIGNIFICANCE
The Sentence Method
Write every new thought on separate
line
 Thought 2
 Thought 3
 Thought 4
 Thought 5


Phrases are quicker than sentence form
Common Abbreviations














w/ - with
w/o – without
+ or & - and
ppl.- people
@ - at
Q - question
A – answer
? – I’m lost
Ex – example
Imp- important
-> - leads to
Etc – and other things
Con’t- continued
Gov’t- government
Live Scribe Pen
Reading
To
Remember
Retaining Information
Short term vs. Long term
 Ability to hold on to information.
 SQ4R method

 Survey
 Question
 Read
 Recite
 Review
 Reflect
SQ4R: Step One

Survey and Question
 Improve reading speed and comprehension
 Skim or survey chapter (turning subtitles into




questions) 5-minutes or less
Warm up for the brain
Creates advanced organizers
Improves comprehension and concentration.
Questioning is important – keeps you active
and awake
SQ4R: Step 2

Read and Recite
 Read a section at a time
 Turn subheadings into questions and find the
answers
 Underline the main idea (if important)
 When finished with section, look at subheading
and see if you can recite or re-say the main
point.
 Important for storing in long term memory
SQ4R: Step 3

Review and Reflect
 IMMEDIATELY after reading chapter, do
quick review of what you learned. 5-minutes
or less.
 Look at subheadings – recall main points
 Re-read points you highlighted.
 Reflect on how you can use the info, how
does it relate?
Review and Reflection Points
What is important?
 What is the significance?
 How can I use the information?
 What does it mean to me?
 What do I think about the information?
 How does this relate to what I already know?
 Can I think of a good example for this?

More Useful Ideas
Unfamiliar word? Look up the definition, it
will be on the exam!
 You may need to re-read
 Speed and comprehension improves with
practice
 Take notes – active involvement
 Don’t understand? Talk with your teacher

Read or skim material before class
 Review periodically throughout semester
 Learning disability?

 Albert Einstein
 Thomas Edison

Match learning style to reading style
 Auditory – read aloud
 Active – move around
 Introvert – quiet place
 Extrovert – group study
Additional Online Resources
www.how-to-study.com
 www.studyhall.com
 www.d.umn.edu/kmc/student/loon/acad/
strat
 http://frank.mtsu.edu/~studskl
 www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/study

Questions?