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Note Taking

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Submitted By afrozakamal
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University of Bedfordshire
Business School
Department of Language &Communication

Academic Skills
LNG 002-0

NOTE TAKING

By
AFROZA KAMAL NODI Student no. 1227636

A paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of International foundation course in Academic Skills in the Department of Language &Communication

May 2013
Note taking
Introduction
Note taking is a very useful thing to memorise something also it is a learning process itself. However, it is useful when we can write notes in a right way. The aim of this report is to describe what is note taking, how we can take notes and why we take notes also when we should take notes and so on.

What is note taking?
Note taking is a process to write down all key words to help remember the main idea. It is an art to take someone else’s words from their lectures, speeches or from reading. “Note taking means organising your own thoughts ,often creatively, and note taking means summarising someone else’s thoughts, as expressed in a book, article or lecture” (Buzan, 2010).
How we can take notes?
There are several ways of taking notes such as: * Linear patterning * Symbols and Abbreviations * Analysis * Cornell method * Mind map * Structured Lists (numerical/alphabetical)

* Linear patterning: liner notes are usually written in straight lines. Grammar, chorological sequence and hierarchical sequence is also used ( (Buzan, 2010). This is the typical outline format of note taking. * Symbols: These include letters, words and numbers (Buzan, 2010).This is one of the easiest ways of taking notes. Overall 95% people use symbols and abbreviation for taking notes. * Symbols and Abbreviations SYMBOL | MEANING | & | and | @ | at | / | Per | = | Equal | \ | Therefore | w/ | With | w/0 | Without | w/i | Within | Etc. | Et cetera | b/4 | Before | b/c | Because | Esp. | Especially | Diff. | Difference | Min. | minimum | Max. | maximum | Min. | Minimum | Ex. | example | Gov’t | government | * Abbreviation Many of the common general abbreviations are found in an appendix in a dictionary: however, some of them are listed below: (www.ilile.org) e.g. | For example | i.e. | That is | etc. | Etcetera: and so on | c.f. | Compare | Viz. | Namely | c. (or ca.) | about/approximately | N.B | Note | C19 | Nineteenth century; similarly C20 etc. | 1920s | i.e. 1920-1929;vsimilarly 1970sec. | approx. | approximately | dept. | department | diff.(s) | Difficult(y)(-ies) | excl. | Excluding | govt. | government | Imp. | Important/impotence | Incl. | Including | Info. | information | Lang. | Language | ltd | Limited | max. | Maximum | min. | Minimum | 1st | Firs | 2nd | Second | 3rd | third etc. | G.B. | Great Britain | U.K. | United kingdom | Eng. | English | Brit. | British | Q. | Question | A. | Answer | No. | Number | p./pp. | Page | Poss. | Possible/possibly | re | With reference | sts | Students |

Analysis: its quality is adversely affected by the liner patterning, an emphasis on the liner nature of presentation rather than content.
Mind maps:
It’s one of the powerful approaches for note taking. Mind maps are also known as Concept mapping, Spray Diagrams and Spider diagrams. Mind mapping is a useful technique that helps us learn more effectively enhances the way we record information and also improves problem solving. Mind mapping rapidly helps us to identify and understand the subject. However, Spider diagrams are mainly used for planning or creating and provoking ideas. As they start with central idea and branches out, it’s very easy to make and understand.
Cornell Method:
Walter Pauk, emeritus at Cornell University designed the Cornell method. This is one of the effective note taking method. This method allows us to insert class hand outs, rearrange notes easily or to spread them out and study. Page Layout, is the key feature for Cornell method. The page layout includes Cue column on the left vertical margin, the summaries at the bottom horizontal margin and the note taking area on the right vertical margin.
Structure List:
Structure is a key factor for note taking. Usage of standard numbering or lettering system helps to formalise the structure for note taking.

Why do we make Notes:- The main reason we make notes is to help us what we have learnt. Taking notes act as a memory aid. As research has shown (Buzan,1988)that we forget 98% of what we read or heard after only three week time. Notes are very useful for writing essay or report, for presentation or sitting an exam. Making notes in a right manner easily helps the person to learn and understand. Taking notes implies a passive approach where you simply copy down what your lecturer says or what you think are important passages from a text.
As a Korean Student stated,” I have learned to make notes not to take notes. Before, when the teacher told me something I just wrote it down, but this was very passive and limited my understanding I know I should make notes only of important things. We don’t know to remember every detail, but we need to reflect on important ones.” (Turner, 2004)
When do we make notes:-
We make notes from our lectures and seminars and also from reading. We also make notes for planning assignments and also for exam revisions. (Turner, 2004)
Why note taking is important:-
Note taking is an important practise to master at university. Note taking develops reliable mechanisms for recording and retrieving it when necessary. (Turner, 2004)
Effective Note taking * Helps to focus on what is important in what you are reading or hearing. * Helps to understand, remember and make connections. * Helps to structure the assignments. * Helps to keep records.
Problems of note taking * Note-taking can distract you from listening to lectures. * Note-taking can put additional stress on those who do not write naturally. * The greatest problem of all is that approaches to note-taking are very personal, and that what suits some doesn’t suit some others. (www.reading.ac.uk)

Making note taking more effective:
The two key principles are {1} to be meticulous and accurate, and {2} to be active rather than passive.
Being meticulous and accurate about recording sources and direct quotations is an important part of academic, discipline as well as helping to avoid accidental plagiarism.
The most effective note taking is active not passive. Active learning benefits to make meaning from the things we learn. Passive learning agrees you to be an empty vessel into which knowledge is dispensed with no way of organising or making significant of it.
Passive note taking includes underlining words, cutting and pasting from online document, trying to write everything you hear in a lecture and also not assessing or criticising the source, but just accepting them as suitable evidence. Active note taking includes writing notes mostly in own words, recording direct quotes only when it’s important, thinking about what the research before starting it, looking answers about the topic and also looking for connections within the topic. (www.reading.ac.uk)

Conclusion
Note taking is an important academic task that helps us to remember what we have learnt and helps us to review materials for re-use in revision and assignments. Well structured notes will be incredibly helpful throughout studies, giving you more immediate access to the key themes and issues that we have been working with.
Bibliography
(n.d.). Retrieved 04 20, 2013, from www.ilile.org.
Buzan, T. B. (2010). Mindd Map. Great Britain: Ashford colour Press Ltd,Gosport,Hampshire.
Turner, R. L. (2004). In The International student's Guide. london: SAGE publication. www.reading.ac.uk. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 20, 2013

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