NOTE

TAKING
(LISTENING SKILLS)
A short pencil is better than a long memory.
-Kent Matsueda.
OUTLINE.
1. Introduction.
2. Theories of note taking.
3. Importance of Note-
taking.
4. A Process for Effective
Strategies for Note-taking
in Lectures.
5. Tips on how best to take
notes.
6. How to achieve note
taking.
INTRODUCTION.
• Note-taking is one of the active listening process of
writing down short notes during class lectures.
• Note taking is, simply, a way of concisely recording
important information so that you can recall it later.
• It is an activity that helps a listener improve listening and
comprehension (understanding).
• Note taking is a powerful aid to communication, a way of
summarising and retaining the key points from what
you’ve heard and understood.
• Regardless of how good you think your memory is, you
need to take notes in certain circumstances to remind
yourself what was said.
INTRODUCTION…
• It is imperative to recognize that note taking should not
distract you from listening attentively to what the speaker
is saying. Effective note-taking involves listening whilst
jotting down key points.
• Before you can take effective notes you need to be
organised. You need to remember to take appropriate note-
taking equipment with you to meetings, lectures etc.
• The nature of equipment will partly depend on you and
partly on the circumstances. The simple low tech (pen and
a pad or a paper) or high tech (laptop, tablet, smartphone
etc).- switch off any messaging service/ notifications.
• When you arrive at the meeting or lecture try to sit where
you can clearly see and hear the speaker.
THEORIES OF NOTE TAKING.
• According to Peper and Mayer (1978) the action in the active
listening involves three theories.
1. The attention theory: which suggests that by taking notes,
you pay more attention and become more familiar with the
material.
2. The effort theory: which is based on an idea that note
taking requires more effort and thought than reading.
3. The generative theory: which states that as you take
notes, you paraphrase, organize, and understand
information.
• The three theories regard note taking as an active process that
results in learning.
WHY NOTE TAKING?
• There are many reasons why a student should take notes; four
are given here.
1. Firstly, taking notes helps the listener to keep alert. Doing
something while listening helps the mind to concentrate on the
subject of discussion.
2. Secondly, taking notes facilitates understanding; this is so
because it enables you to follow relationships of ideas as they
develop.
3. Thirdly, taking notes helps you to keep record of new ideas as
they come, and this in turn helps your memory. In different
forms of college assessment such as in examinations memory
can be a great facility. Furthermore, remembering key points
makes it easier to reflect on them in order to deepen
understanding.
WHY NOTE TAKING?
4. Finally, It saves time when studying.
A PROCESS FOR EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
FOR NOTE-TAKING IN LECTURES.
This process outlines some of the note- taking activities
that students should engage in:
1. Before the Lecture.
2. During the Lecture.
3. After the Lecture.
A PROCESS FOR EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
FOR NOTE-TAKING IN LECTURES…
1. BEFORE.
• Actively prepare for the lecture and set goals. Ask yourself:
why are you attending the lecture? What are you hoping to
learn from it?
• Read before the lecture.
• Scan module handbook: remind yourself of the course
AIMS, LEARNING OUTCOMES and the assignment question.
THINK: which bit of these will this lecture help me with?
• Brainstorm: what do I already know on this topic? What do
I need from this session to help me with the assignment?
A PROCESS FOR EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
FOR NOTE-TAKING IN LECTURES…
2. DURING.
• During the lecture, you will face two formats of lecture
approach: the first one ‘lectures dependent on the text’
and ‘lectures independent of the text’.
• When lectures are text-based, as your instructor
speaks, highlight or underline important points
emphasized by the instructor; add in vital information
that is missing out.
• When lectures are not text-based, your responsibility
for note-taking increases.
• Because you don't have the backup text, you need to be
an active listener.
A PROCESS FOR EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
FOR NOTE-TAKING IN LECTURES…
2. DURING
 Actively select KEY words and points: names, dates,
‘facts’, theories, arguments…
 Roughly connect them together in a rough pattern.
See these as a first draft. TIP: see most of what you do
as a draft. The rush to perfection is the enemy of active
thinking – it closes us off. Use coloured pens to keep
your brain alert (awake!)
 Draw pictures, use symbols instead of words – again
A PROCESS FOR EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
FOR NOTE-TAKING IN LECTURES…
3. AFTER
• After the lecture, you have to read your notes. This post-
lecture reading helps you focus on the information
emphasized in the lecture for your better understanding of
the content.
• This is the most important time of all – and the longest.
Being a student is NOT about being in lectures, workshops
and seminars (12 hrs/wk) but is in the reading, writing,
thinking, talking that you do the rest of the time (20-25
hrs/wk).
• This is also the most active time of all – and if we do not
A PROCESS FOR EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
FOR NOTE-TAKING IN LECTURES…
3. AFTER
 So: Revise your notes regularly. Makes them shorter, more dynamic and
more memorable. Use mnemonics so that each set of notes has
something that will trigger your recall.
 Discuss your notes with a study partner. Get a study partner!
 Follow up your notes: read something, write something. TIP: start
drafting rough paragraphs for the final assignment from the beginning of
the course.
 Don’t file your notes away. Filed away stuff feels finished – this tells the
brain to forget. Stick the notes on your wall – revise them as you walk
past. TIP: Build up notes that help you answer the assignment question…
 If any problem, seek for clarification from friends or the lecturer.
TIPS ON HOW BEST TO TAKE
NOTES.
• Make your notes brief (don’t use a phrase where a word is
applicable, don’t use a sentence where a phrase is
applicable)
• Use abbreviation and symbols, but be consistent eg EAP.
• Put most notes in your own words (apart from formulas,
definitions, specific facts, names etc)
• Use outline form / numbering system – this helps to
distinguish major from minor points.
• If you miss a statement, write key words, skip a few spaces,
and get the information later.
• Leave spaces for amendments during your final study of
material.
TIPS ON HOW BEST TO TAKE
NOTES…
• Resist the temptation to transcribe every word the lecturer
says - this won't help you understand. Write important
points only.
• Spider diagrams can be a good way to show connections
and avoid transcribing everything.
• Note down your own thoughts as you go: for example,
ideas to follow-up later or parts you don't understand that
you need to read more about. Make it clear which are your
own ideas - perhaps underline or circle them?
• Avoid the following passive note taking methods: using
tape recorder, borrowed notes, etc because they are not
effective; technical faults, notes wrongly taken by a friend.
TIPS ON HOW BEST TO TAKE
NOTES…
Personalizing your notes.
• As a knowledgeable note taker, you need to selectively
record only important information
• What information is recorded is your choice.
• You make this decision based on what you know about
the lecture topic, what subject you are studying, and
what facts your lecturer stresses.
• Taking notes is not for a grade, therefore, they need not
be grammatically correct; they don’t even have
complete words, sentences, etc eg. #(number) &(and)
bkgd(background).
HOW TO ACHIEVE NOTE TAKING.
• These will be clues from the speaker.
1. Important points are usually repeated and can also be
written on the board.
2. Emphasis can be shown by: i) tone of voice and
gesture ii) amount of time or examples spent on a
particular point.
3. Word signals, eg. there are two points, firstly, in
conclusion etc.
4. Summaries at the end of class.
5. Reviews given at the beginning of the next lesson
(class).
FORMATS OF NOTE TAKING.
1. Cornel Note-taking Style.
• This is one of the note taking system that works well for
students and was developed at Cornell University.
• Because the style is not difficult, it saves time and
effort; it is a step-by-step process with 5 stages: record,
reduce, recite, reflect and review (5R).
• Divide your page as a diagram, so you have a narrow
left margin (Recall area) and a deep (Summary area) at
the bottom. Leaving the rest of the page for the notes
you take while attending the lecture (Note-taking area).
• During the lecture, record your notes on the Note-
taking area. Write as much information as you feel is
important.
FORMATS OF NOTE TAKING…
1. Cornel Note-taking Style.
• After the lecture, reduce your notes by putting in the
most important condensed information using the left
column (Recall area); be brief, remove adjectives, adverbs.
• After the reduction, cover your notes and recite them and
use the recall area to cue your memory.
• Use the summary area to write a brief summary of what
you’ve recited.
• After reciting, you reflect, giving yourself some ‘wait time’
and reread the notes and think about them.
• Finally, review your notes several times a week which
helps you retain what you have learned.
 Cornel Note-taking Style.

Reca
ll Note-Taking
Area.
Area.

Summary
Area.
WHEN TO USE CORNEL STYLE
The Cornell method is ideal for all types of lectures or
even meetings.
Pros
 A quicker way to take, review, and organize your notes
 Summarizes all the information in a systematic manner
 Helps in effective learning as it enables to absorb
information in a shorter time
 Helps you to extract main ideas
 Cuts down time for reviewing
WHEN TO USE CORNEL STYLE
Cons
 Pages need to be prepared before a lecture.
 Requires some time for reviewing and summarising the
key concepts.
FORMATS OF NOTE TAKING
2. Outlining.
• This is another common means of organizing
information; it is a sequential process.
• In outlining, you record major concepts and supporting
details, examples etc. in the same order as they appear
in the lecture.
• The disadvantage is that you may record information
without thought.
• Outlines consist of formal and informal formats. The
formal format uses numeral on the left; say Roman
numerals for important points, Arabic numerals for
minor points.
WHEN TO USE OUTLINE
This method can be used in a variety of situations but
works best if the lecture or class follows a relatively clear
structure.
Pros
 Highlights the key points of the lecture in a logical way.
 Ease of use allows the students to focus.
 Reduces the reviewing and editing time.
 Gives a proper and clean structure to your notes.
WHEN TO USE OUTLINE
Cons
 Not suitable for subjects like chemistry and math that
comprise of formulas and charts.
 Doesn’t work well if the attended lecture doesn’t follow
a certain structure.
FORMATS OF NOTE TAKING…
3. Mind Maps (Idea Maps).
• This is a diagrammatical way of organizing key ideas
from the lectures; pictures which show relationships
among concepts
• They express patterns of thought; and because
concepts and ideas are related in various ways, maps
differ, so be creative in constructing one
• Idea maps relate information to central idea indicating
major, minor and equal relationships among details.
• The main topic is placed at the center of the page;
supporting ideas are placed on branches connecting the
central topic; each supporting idea further develops its
own branches of ideas
WHEN TO USE MIND MAP.
This method works best if you have plenty of space and
information can be grouped around each main idea.
Pros
 Increases creativity and productivity as it stimulates
generation of ideas.
 It easily identifies relationships amongst ideas.
 Colours and images can be used to enhance memory
and retention.
WHEN TO USE MIND MAP.
Cons
 It requires active participation to follow a mind map.
 It is difficult for people who are logically oriented in
thinking to freely follow ideas generated randomly in a
mind map.
FORMATS OF NOTE TAKING…
4. Chats.
• This is another method (type of graphic note taking).
Charts or information matrices, help you recognize and
remember how information is categorized.
• They also help you identify & compare the same factors
of differing elements for most lecture and text topics
• Charting is probably a more familiar way to recognize
information.
• Charts concisely summarize large amounts of
information on one page.
• Like idea maps, charts graphically organize all sorts of
information.
WHEN TO USE CHARTING
METHOD.
The charting method is good for taking notes on
subjects that have:
 Factual and/or statistical information.
 Subtopics that are directly comparable to each other.
 Information that can be compartmentalized into tables.
Pros
 Segregates and organizes your notes in the form of a
table.
 Let’s you focus on one table at a time while reading.
 Help you memorize the relation between notes in a
WHEN TO USE CHARTING
METHOD.
Cons
 Not suitable for every lecture type.
 Doesn’t work well if no overall topics can be assigned to
a group of notes.
 Requires additional time to group the notes in the end
or during the lecture.
REFERENCESS
Peper, R. J., & Mayer, R. E. (1978). Note taking as a
generative activity. Journal of Educational
Psychology, 70(4), 514– 522.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.70.4.514
Tamm, S. (2021). Charting Method of Note-Taking: A
Beginner’s Guide. E-student.
https://e-student.org/charting-note-taking-method/#:~:te
xt=The%20charting%20method%20is%20a%20note%2D
taking%20method%20that%20uses,between%20differen
t%20topics%20and%20ideas
.
THE
END