Note taking

Main Points:

1. Skim the subject matter in the textbook (or wherever) BEFORE the lecture.

Don't try to understand or know everything in the book. That's what the lecture is there to help you do. But do get oriented. Try it. The difference in the ability to follow what the prof is saying, and her or his, shall we say, leaps of logic, and the difference in the ability to take notes rather than gibberish is like night and day.

2. Use different symbols to distinguish different actions

• [ ] A square checkbox denotes a to do item
• ( ) A circle indicates a task to be assigned to someone else
• * An asterisk is an important fact
• ? A question mark goes next to items to research or ask about

3. Separate the page into three areas

 

Cornell Notetaking System Sample

 

Reduce or Question (After Lecture) write key words, phrases or questions that serve as cues for notes taken in class cue phrases and questions should be in your own words Recite with classroom notes covered, read each key word or question recite the fact or idea brought to mind by key word or question	Record (During Lecture) write down facts and ideas in phrases use abbreviations when possible (After Lecture) read through your notes fill in blanks and make scribbles more legible &  5.  Reflect and Review review your notes periodically by reciting think about what you have learned
Recapitulation (After Lecture) summarize each main idea use complete sentences

E.g

Six steps to take this kind of notes:
In short: once you've attended class and filled in the notes area, that evening, review them and fill in the cues and summary area. When the time comes to study for an exam, read through your notes. To quiz yourself, cover up the right side and use the cues on the left to jog your memory and help you rebuild the factual narrative in your mind. When you've got a paper to write, use the summary section of each notes page to flip through and find relevant facts to cite in your paper.

Problems?

I tried the Cornell method last semester with little success. I end up never filling in the Cues and Summary sections. Part of the reason for that is I never got into the habit of reviewing my notes except right before a test

The other part that threw me off is, being an engineering student, my notes have lots of derived equations and example problems. I wasn't sure what I should be putting in the Cues or Summary portions.

What I did like about the Cornell method is the smaller space for notes and clearly defined margins forced me to write neater. When I use tho full page my notes tend to be disorganised with ideas and concepts tossed wherever.

I have a few ideas on how to modify the Cornell method to my needs, like eliminating the summary portion and extending the cues section all the way down. In the cues section I can put little descriptions of the steps taken in example problems.

4. Use shorthands

tda = today
tmo = tomorrow
yta = yesterday
2 = to, too
4 = for
b = be
+ = and
 b/c or bc = “because”
 g at end of a word = “ing”
b/w = between

 

Reference:

Pencil and Paper
http://lifehacker.com/software/note-taking/geek-to-live–take-great-notes-167307.php
http://www.lifehacker.com/software/note-taking/geek-to-live–take-studyworthy-lecture-notes-202418.php
http://michaelhyatt.blogs.com/workingsmart/2005/04/recovering_the_.html
http://www.crazycolour.com/os/notetaking_07.shtml

Software:
http://webworkerdaily.com/2006/12/16/jot-this-down-an-overview-of-popular-note-taking-applications/