Taking notes effectively

Taking notes effectively

Summarizing and note-taking are techniques which enhance learners’ ability to synthesize and organize information by focusing on the main ideas and supporting details. Both summarizing and note-taking help students process information in a deep way.

Summarizing is mainly about distilling information, finding patterns, filling in the missing parts, and synthesizing the information into a condensed form. There are several generalizations and recommendations to develop summarizing skills. The generalizations help learners engage in three activities: deleting information, substituting information, and keeping information.

Note-taking asks learners to identify key information and restate that information in their own words. There are several generalizations and recommendations to develop note-taking skills. These generalizations include: the most effective way to take note is verbatim, and notes should be used as study guides for tests, and the more notes that are taken the better.

These techniques were applied to forty eight students of tenth level “A” and “B” in “Julio Maria Matovelle” high school. The results of the application were positive because they learned more and better the contents, and they raised their grades.

KEY WORDS

Summarizing, Note-taking, Graphic Organizers, Note-taking Formats, Text Patterns, Summary Frames.

eing able to take clear comprehensive notes, which allow you to understand and learn the presented material for your course assignments or exams, is a vital skill for students at college or university. It can also be a major challenge is you are coming up from school without having had to make your own notes on what was happening in class. The following are simple ideas for creating useful and effective notes from which you can learn more easily.