Listening and Note Taking

Unit 2
Topic-3
 What is Note-Taking?

➢ Note taking is the practice of recording important information from

various sources such as lectures, readings, or discussions, in a
concise and organized manner.
➢ It is not just about writing something down, but rather it is an act of
recording important information so that you can review it and recall it
later.

2
 What is Note-Taking?

➢ It is important to recognise that taking notes should not distract you

from listening intently to what the speaker is saying.
➢ Effective note-taking involves listening whilst jotting down key points
that will be important later.
➢ It is a process of recording, reviewing, recalling and synthesizing
ideas from your lectures or reading.

3
 Introduction

Taking Notes Helps You To:

❏ stay active and engaged during your lectures, reading, discussion
and revision.
❏ understand what you are learning.
❏ be selective and identify key ideas.
❏ remember the material.
❏ organise your ideas and make connections (synthesising).
❏ review and revise before exams or presentations.
4
 Note-Taking

➢ Note-taking requires adequate practice.

➢ For taking notes, one has to listen to what is being said with full
attention.
➢ Next, one has to recognize quickly the main points that the speaker
makes and note them down immediately.

5
 Note-Taking

➢ As we know, the speed of speech is faster than the speed of writing,

therefore some extra effort is required to keep pace with the speaker.
➢ While taking down the notes, one may also take down the important
examples or quotations that the speaker may use for support,
illustration, or explanation.

6
 Note-Taking

➢ When taking notes, the name of the speaker, the topic, and the
date of the speech should also be noted.
➢ Since notes are taken under pressure of time, it is necessary to read
them soon after the lecture is over.
➢ This would enable one to insert any omission or delete any irrelevant
matter that may have been included.

7
 Note-Taking

➢ Whenever one’s own short forms are used for certain words (e.g., ‘sth
for something, ‘sb’ for somebody, ‘exp’ for experiment), these
must be expanded soon after.
➢ It is advisable to make it a habit to use fixed short forms, so that one
does not falter in deciphering (‘exp’ should always refer to
experiment and not experience).

8
 Techniques and Tips for Listening and Note Taking

Write phrases, not full sentences

➢ Only record key technical or discipline-specific terms to get the idea of
the point.
➢ Skip words like “the” and “a” that don’t add additional meaning to the
lecture content.

9
 Take Notes in Your Own Words

➢ Do not write down everything that is said, word-for-word.

➢ Try to paraphrase everything except where information needs to be
noted exactly.

10
 Do Not Take Notes for the Sake of Taking Notes

➢ Think about whether or not a point is noteworthy before you write it

down – do not take notes for the sake of taking notes.
➢ Otherwise you’ll end up with lot of irrelevant points, which will distract
you from the important things.
➢ Make notes on things that are new to you.

11
 Highlight Key Information

➢ As you're taking notes, flag any information that is especially

important, such as instructions, contact information or due dates.
➢ There are several ways that you can draw attention to vital details, but
highlighting, circling and underlining are probably the easiest and
most effective methods.

12
 Code Your Notes

➢ Use colour and symbols to highlight important points.

➢ However, don’t focus too much on colour coding when you’re in the
lecture.
➢ It requires time and concentration, so it’s more useful to do most of
the highlighting and underlining when you’re revising your notes later.

13
 Use Symbols and Abbreviations

➢ Symbols and abbreviations for frequently used words, phrases, or

names are useful for note taking in lectures when speed is essential.
❏ For "Street", you can use the abbreviation "St."
❏ For "at", you can use the symbol "@".
➢ It’s important to be consistent so you remember what they represent
and can use them easily.

14
Abbreviations and Acronyms for Note Taking

15
Abbreviations and Acronyms for Note Taking

16
Symbols for Note Taking

17
 Most Popular Note-Taking Methods

➢ Cornell Strategy
➢ Mapping Strategy
➢ Charting Strategy
➢ Sentence Method
➢ Outline Strategy

18
The Cornell Strategy

19
 The Cornell Strategy

➢ Begin by dividing your page into three sections (Note-taking area,

Cue column, and Summary).
➢ The right column is larger for your initial notes (textbook or lecture).
➢ The left column is used after initial note-taking while you are reviewing
your notes to record key points, terms, or any other cues that will help
you to recall the information.
➢ The bottom section is a summary of your notes in your own words, in
order to help retain the material.
20
 The Cornell Strategy

21
 The Cornell Strategy: 5 R’s of Note-Taking

Record
➢ Whether you are taking notes from lecture or while reading a
chapter, record important information in the main notes area only.
➢ Leave the cue column and summary area empty until after class.
➢ Write short phrases or sentences that convert the information from the
lecture or reading into your own words.

22
 The Cornell Strategy: 5 R’s of Note-Taking

Reduce
➢ The next step is to complete the cue column by reducing your notes.
➢ In the cue column, write out some “trigger” words or phrases that will
help you remember the larger sections of notes from the main area.
➢ Formulate questions that require you to recall the information in the
main notes area of the page.

23
 The Cornell Strategy: 5 R’s of Note-Taking

Recite
➢ Recitation involves explaining everything we’ve learnt aloud, in as
much detail as possible, without looking at our notes.
➢ The reason: reciting notes helps transfer the information more
effectively from our short-term memory to our long-term memory.

24
 The Cornell Strategy: 5 R’s of Note-Taking

Reflect
➢ After reciting the information, take a moment to reflect and think about
what you've learned, trying to connect it with your prior knowledge.
➢ For Example: After reciting your notes on a history lecture about
World War II, you realize that you're not entirely clear on the causes of
the war.

25
 The Cornell Strategy: 5 R’s of Note-Taking

➢ Then, you might ask yourself questions like "What were the main
factors that led to the outbreak of World War II?" or "How did
economic conditions contribute to the conflict?
➢ This reflection helps deepen your understanding and prompts you to
seek clarification if needed.

26
 The Cornell Strategy: 5 R’s of Note-Taking

Review
➢ Finally, review your notes regularly to reinforce learning and ensure
retention.
➢ By reviewing both the main notes and the cues in the cue column, you
can keep the information fresh in your mind and strengthen your
understanding over time.

27
 Mapping Strategy

➢ The mapping strategy is useful for visual learners.

➢ It is similar to a flowchart, with the purpose of helping you identify
relationships between concepts, phrases, and key terms.
➢ Begin by placing the main idea of what you’ve read, or are learning.
➢ As you continue to read, add supporting terms, phrases, or concepts
around it.
➢ Use lines or arrows to link the supporting concepts to the main idea.

28
Mapping Strategy

29
 The Charting Strategy

➢ The charting strategy in note-taking involves the use of tables or

charts to systematically organize and summarize information.
➢ It's particularly effective for capturing data, comparisons, and
structured information.
➢ This strategy is commonly used when dealing with statistics,
comparisons, lists, or any content that can be presented in a tabular
format.

30
The Charting Strategy

31
 The Sentence Method

➢ The sentence method is a simple and effective note-taking technique

where information is recorded using complete and coherent
sentences to capture key points.
➢ Every important point is written as a full sentence on a new line.
➢ Each sentence reflects a complete idea or fact.
➢ Notes are kept clear, direct, and sequential — much like writing a list
of informative statements.

32
The Sentence Method

33
 Advantages of The Sentence Method

● Easy to review later because each sentence stands alone.

● Helps improve comprehension and retention since you're actively

processing the information into complete thoughts.

34
 Limitations of The Sentence Method

● Can become lengthy and time-consuming if the lecture is very

fast-paced.

● Not as visual as other methods like mind mapping or charting.

35
 The Outline Strategy

➢ The Outline Strategy is a structured and hierarchical note-taking

method used to organize information clearly and logically.
➢ It involves breaking down a topic into main points, subpoints, and
supporting details, often using bullet points, numbers, or indentation
to show relationships between ideas.

36
 The Outline Strategy

➢ Main topics are written as headings or Roman numerals (I, II, III).

➢ Subtopics are listed under each main point using letters (A, B, C).

➢ Supporting details are further indented with numbers or dashes (1,

2, 3 or –, •).

37
The Outline Strategy

38
 Conclusion

➢ The choice of method depends on individual preferences and the

nature of the content being recorded.
➢ Good note-taking skills involve active listening or reading, the ability to
extract essential information, and the organization of that information
in a clear and concise format.
➢ Effective note-taking can greatly enhance one's ability to learn,
communicate, and make informed decisions.

39
THANK YOU