TABLE OF CONTENTS

GETTING STARTED Reading skills, Writing Skills, Listening Skills.
LEARNING Developmental Levels of Learning.
THE TEXTBOOK Title, Copyright Page, Table of Contents, Preface, Chapter Titles, Subheadings, Chapter Summaries, Study Questions, Appendix, Glossary, Reference Page, Index, Study Guide.
NOTES Highlighting, Lecture Note Taking, Textbook Outlining, Study Sheet, Flash Cards, Tape Recording Notes.
TIME MANAGEMENT Calendar, To Do List, Studying Time.
STUDYING PROCEDURES Study Place, Work Area, Study Method, Studying with Others.
TESTS Types of Tests, Multiple Choice, True/False, Matching, Sentence Completion, Fill in the Blank, Essay, Open Book Tests, Study Strategies for Questions, Test Taking Techniques, Things to Do Beforea Test, Relax After a Test.
MANAGING STRESS Ways to reduce stress.
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE GRADE

Text used by permission.

Chapter 4

Notes

Notes are basically a condensed form of the information you are required to learn. They are the highlights that summarize the material. Listening skills are a very important part of note taking skills. If you do not hear it, you cannot make note of it.

Note taking is probably one of the foremost components to being successful in acquiring productive study skills. Before you start taking notes, you should find out from the instructor if the test will cover the lecture, the textbook, or both. Also find out what percentage of each will be represented.

HIGHLIGHTING

Highlighters are felt tip pens that come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They contain an opaque ink which allows you to mark text and still be able to read it. They add color to the text so it will stand out from the rest. This makes important information easy to relocate. It helps reduce text to its simplest and shortest form. It also allows you to create an outline of the material as you are reading.

Even though there are many colors to choose from, the most popular seems to be yellow. You should select a color that is most pleasing to you. Do not select a color that is too bright, such as the variety of fluorescent colors on the market. These have a tendency to be distracting.

LECTURE NOTE TAKING

Always read all assigned materials before attending class. This way you will understand what is being covered during the lecture. You will be able to ask questions to clear up any areas that you may have had problems with or did not understand. Always remember there is no such thing as a stupid or dumb question if you do not know the answer. A dumb question is one that is asked about material that you should have known from your studies but did not prepare for. If you are prepared for class, your questions will be to clear up something you did not understand from your studying.

Note taking from a lecture can prove to be difficult in the beginning but will improve with practice. You should read your notes after each class meeting. This will help refresh your memory and will also allow you to fill in any gaps. If they are not legible or if they need reordering, rewrite them.

Purchase a separate spiral notebook for each class to take lecture notes in. Select notebooks that have inside pockets where the course syllabus and class handouts can be kept.

Have all reading and homework assignments completed before class.

The following is a list of helpful hints for lecture note taking.

At the top of your notes always write the topic or chapter number and title covered and the date.

If examples are used, make note of them and their sources if possible. If the example is from the textbook, include the page number.

Write down everything that is written on the blackboard.

Skip a line when starting a new idea or concept.

Develop a shorthand or abbreviation system (i.e., Psychology as psy or history as hist).

Write down as much of the lecture as possible without missing what the instructor is covering. It is not necessary to write down every word that is said, only the key ideas.

Write notes in a summary fashion.

Make notes in the left margin of important material or anything that needs attention.

Emphasize important points by placing a dash (-) or an asterisk (*) in front of them or by underlining the phrase or word.

Try to write the notes in your own words and use as many key terms and phrases as possible.

Write notes as neatly and as legibly as possible. If you compose neat notes, or at least legible ones, you can save valuable time by not having to rewrite them. Additional time spent here will be rewarded.

Write down any term you do not know or understand and look it up as soon as possible and make note of it.

If you do not understand something that is being covered during the lecture, ask questions. That is the time to have it explained again. It is your responsibility to ask if you do not understand. This is why it is so important to be prepared for class.

If you miss class for any reason, make sure you get the notes from another student. Ask the instructor if there is anything that you will need to do in order to help you make up for the missed lecture.

While studying make a list of any questions you may have about the lecture so you can have them cleared up at the next class meeting. Make a written list. Do not rely on your memory for this.

Make an audio tape recording of lectures as a back-up system to your note taking. It is a good way to make sure you do not miss important material that was covered. It is also a good way to check your note taking skills for possible improvement. If you use a tape recorder to record class lectures, continue to take written notes. Do not rely on the recording only.

Be organized. The key to good notes is organization and neatness.

Read your notes as soon after the lecture as possible so any gaps, incomplete sentences, or thoughts can be completed.

Always strive to improve your note taking skills.

Prepare before class. This can save you time and help improve the quality of your note taking. Having all materials ready before class will add immensely to your note taking because you will already be familiar with the material being lectured on in class. Being prepared will make it a much easier task, and the content and quality of your notes will improve.

TEXTBOOK OUTLINING

Textbook outlining can be tricky. When you first start highlighting, it is very tempting to highlight everything or at least the majority of the text. Restraint is advised here.

One of the hardest things about highlighting is knowing what and how much to highlight. Remember the purpose is to highlight main ideas and concepts, not the entire book.

If it looks important, highlight it!

There are three stages to reading a textbook for studying and outlining: skimming, thorough reading, and attentive reading.

Skimming is the process of familiarizing yourself with the text by thumbing through it. When skimming, you are only interested in getting an overview of the material and looking for a theme.

Thorough reading is concerned with focusing on main and important ideas of the material. This is the time when you stop and make mental pictures of what you are reading.

Attentive reading is where the learning and understanding of the material takes place.

The first step is to go through the entire chapter highlighting everything that seems to be important. Again, at first you will find that you have probably highlighted the majority of the chapter. That’s okay. The next step is to go back through the chapter with a pencil and underline the important parts of your highlighting. This way you are outlining your highlighting. Make pencil marks in the margins of important information by using a dash or writing out a key term or phrase. Highlight the beginning of each section of the index for quick and fast reference.

Create questions while you are reading the material. Try to think of questions that could be asked about the material.

If your schedule is such that you have little time to sit back and relax and maybe watch your favorite TV show, it is possible to highlight your textbook while relaxing in front of the TV. Just do not make a habit of it. The mind works faster than you can read, and it is possible to accomplish more than one task at a time.

STUDY SHEET

The study sheet is compiled from your lecture notes and your textbook outline. This is where you will bring together the most important information in its shortest form. This is a condensed version of your notes and textbook outlining. It is also a good place to put all the lists that you might have to commit to memory.

When it is time to compile your study sheet, follow these guidelines to help you organize them.

At the top of the first page of your notes, list the course title, chapter name and number, and page number.

Number each page of the notes so they can be kept in order.

Start each chapter on a separate sheet of paper.

List the first subheading and its page number.

List a main term or theme if possible, and then list the main points about it. These notes should be kept to a minimum including only the most important and pertinent information, including details and descriptions of terms.

Always list page numbers in the margins. This will allow an easy and fast reference and access to that information if and when it is needed while studying.

Indicate in the margins if the information is from your lecture notes (L) or from the textbook (B).

Make a separate list of new terms and their definitions. Also include all italic and bold faced words and their meanings or definitions. This should be constructed as a separate list in the beginning until you have formed the approach that best works for you. This list can then be incorporated into your study sheet or be created as a separate study sheet.

FLASH CARDS

Three-by-five flash cards can be very helpful. They are a good way to organize your notes to make them more condensed and more manageable. They are easier to keep in order and easier to organize and reorganize more so than loose leaf pages. They can be kept and arranged by subject, topic, textbook notes, lecture notes, new terms, main concepts, and just about any way imaginable.

They can be readily available and used as a quick reference for studying when a free moment comes available. Some students find them easier than study sheets.

TAPE RECORDING NOTES

An audio tape recorder can be used very effectively for recording your notes and study sheets. They can be recorded for later playback. This is a good way to study when you are engaged in activities that may not be conducive to studying. A good example is while driving a car. Think of the amount of unproductive time spent commuting to class or to the store or any time you are just driving in your car. You can listen to a study tape without being distracted from other activities.

Take a minute and think about your note taking abilities. Do you consider them to be good, weak, or just down right poor? To help you think about them and get a better idea and picture of them, take a few minutes and complete the following exercise.

The strongest points of my note taking are:

___________________________________________________________________________

The weakest points of my note taking are:

___________________________________________________________________________

Knowing this information can help strengthen and improve your note taking skills.