EducationWorld is pleased to present this article by Dr. Rick Sheridan, EducationWorld Teacher of the Day and Assistant Professor of Mass Media Communications at Wilberforce University.
Students often spend hundreds of hours taking notes in class. Unfortunately, these notes are often inconsistent or ineffective. Since Carrier (1983) showed that effective note-takers do better in their courses, it’s worthwhile to teach students good note-taking techniques.
Having taught college classes for over 16 years, I have noticed which note-taking methods consistently work best for students. For example, Robinson and Kiewra (1995) found that some students benefit from visual representations of ideas (i.e., mind-mapping) more than text-based notes.
With that in mind, share with students the following classroom-tested and research-based methods for better note-taking.
Below are four note-taking methods with which students may want to experiment. Encourage them to try several methods until they find one that works best for them.
The Cornell Method - This is similar to how most people already take notes, except that you use a wider left-hand margin. After writing the notes in the main space, use the left-hand column for keywords, arrows, etc.
Mind Mapping - Put circles around the most important topics and squares or other shapes around supporting concepts. Create a large circle for a main concept, such as marketing. Then connect it to smaller circles with related concepts such as advertising, public relations, etc. This format helps you to visually track relationships among various components.
The Sentence Method - Write every new thought, fact or topic on a separate line, numbering each sentence as you go. Later, you may want to re-write the notes or simply use arrows to show the relationships between sentences.
The Note Card Method - Write each unique concept on a separate note card. Write up a summary of that concept on the back of the card. These note cards can be used as flash cards. This is especially useful when studying with others.
Carrier, C.A. (1983). Note-taking research: Implications for the classroom. Journal of Instructional Development, 6(3), 19-25.
Dartmouth College, Academic Skills Center - Classes: Notetaking, Listening, Participation. Available at http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/notes.html.
Newfields, Tim (2000). Creative note-taking and study skills. Journal of Nanzan Junior College, 28, 59 -78. Available at http://www.tnewfields.info/Articles/note2.htm.
Robinson, D.H. & K.A. Kiewra (1995). Visual argument: Graphic organizers are superior to outlines in improving learning from text. Journal of Educational Psychology, 87(3), 455-467.
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