DOCUMENT RESUME ED 245 938 SE 044 672 AUTHOR Frierson, Henry T., Jr.; Stevenson,Zollie, Jr. TITLE Effective Note-Taking: A Guide for Studentsin the Sciences and Health Professions. PUB DATE 82 NOTE 62p.; The "readings,on cutaneousvital diseases are reproduced with permission of .the C.V. MosbyCompany and the authors of the text, Synopsisof Pathology (9th ed.). PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use - Materials (ForLearner) (051) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Biology; Biomedicine; *College Science;Higher Education; Learning Activities; MedicalEducation; *Notetaking; Science Education; *SkillDevelopment; Study Skills; Time Factors(Leaning) IDENTIFIERS *Outlining ABSTRACT Techniques for improving the lecture andnotetaking. skills of students in the biological andbiomedical sciences Are presented in this guide. These studentsfrequently find the need to re-organize existing notetaking skillsbecause of the 'Vast amount of material that has to be Jearned andtheimportance of efficient learning to the process of studying. Inaddition, ,learning in the sciences is enhanced-by systematicallyorganizing content, by attending to the lecture and textbook,and by practicing or reviewing material in an.orgarilzed fashion. Theguide is divided into three parts..Topic areas in these partsare:'(1) basic mechanics of notetaking (consideringbriefhand,concept headings and words, organizers, and the schedule plan);(2) lecture notetaking (focusing on the notetaking process,outlining techniques, and the key wordand summary method for takingand reviewing lecture notes); and(3) text notetaking (considering the process oftakingtext notes and the seven commonly agreed onapproaches). Study questions, review questions, and practical exercises areincluded. A self-assessment scale is also included to assistin evaluating notetaking strengths and weaknesses. (JN) "********************************k********************************** best that can be made * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the from the original document. *********************************************************************** VIZ -". I OF EDUCATION JTE OF EDUCATION ,"' G. ..-Ut.,PCES 1,:FORMATICr: EFILfD:i t,e,n A CJIDF _FOR F.A1171-2TS IN THE 171,DIGke ,;,,,,ILA stated tn tnts docu SCIENCES fUj HEALTPROFESSIO 1-4,11/Of , n ,5re,en! !tflclal WE Developed by: Henry T. Frierson, Jr., Ph.D. Associate Professor Director, Learning and Assessment- Laboratory Office of Research E Development for Education in the Health Professions School of Medicine University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Zollie Stevenson, Jr., H.S.Ed. Graduate Fellow Learning and Assessment Laboratory Office of Research & Development for Education in the Health Professions School of Medicine University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill "PERMISSICN 11) ,it.):1L1(.:_, 1 HIS MATERIAL HAS !- 6H4 N TED BY 10 THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The readings on cutaneous viral diseases are reproduced with permission of the C.V. Mosby Company and the authors of the text, Synopsis of Pathology (9th ed.). The authors are grateful for permission to use those passages. LE .11 sessment Laboratory of Medicine Henry T. Frierson, Jr., Ph.D. Zollie Stevenson, Jr., M.S.Ed. © 1982 3 TABLE OF CO'llENTS Introduction 2 Pre-Assessment 3 Basic Mechanics of Notetaking 5 Briefhand 6 Concept Headings & Words 7 Organizers 10 The Schedule Plan 11 Study/Review Questions 17 Lecture-Note-Taking 19 Reminders 20 The Process 21 22 Outlining Techniques 28 Study/Review Additional Guidelines 29 The Outliner's Perspective 31 Practice Exercises 34 Note-Taking in Action 38 The Key Word and Summary Method 38 Additional Practice Exercises 39 44 Text Note-Taking 45 Reminders 46 - The Process Practice Exercises 46 Approaches 49 Study/Review Questions 50 Practice Exercises 51 '1 PART ONE 1NTRODU:TiON This note-taking guide presents techniquesfor improving lecture and text note-taking skills. Frequently, students in the biological and hio-medical sciences find the need tore-organize existing note-taking skills because of the vast amount of materialthat has to be learned and the importance of efficient learning tothe process of studying. Learning in the sciences is enhanced by systematicallyorganizing content by attending to the lecture and textbook, andby practicing or reviewing material in an organized fashion. Improved note-taking skills do not occur simply through useof this guide, but as with most s.kil1c, improve- ment occurs with practicewhich is promoted in this guide. A self-assessment scale ispresented on the next page to assist in evaluating your strenths and weaknesses asthey pertain tc note-taking. Please respond to the scale items relative to yourexisting abilities and skills as they pertain to note-taking. -2- 6 THE STUDENT SELF ASSESSMENT INVENTORY: NOTE-TAKING SCALE' INSTRUCTIONS: This inventory will help you assess how you preparefor courses and manage time. Please respond honestly to each statement. (A 0 3 73 CD 7> Z OJ r0-- CD -1 -1 < CD 3 cr DJ CD , CD CD < -1 -.< q 7 vi -; r 1 2 ., LI 1. 1 take both textbook notes and lecture notes. 1 2 3 4 5 review notes that I take from my textbook. check the accuracy of my lecture notesafter 3. I I 3 4 5 each lecture. 2 preview lecture topics in my textbookprior 4. I 1 2 to class. 3 4 5 r lectures. 1 2 3 h .) 5. 1 take a lot of notes during , r maintain separate notes for eachclass. 1 '2. d !+ -, 6. I PLEASE NOTE: In the remaining items, a ratingof "5" will correspond with Never, "4" with Rarely, etc. 0t.n 9 :7, G 1> C) rt 0 M"I -. -11 < (1) - rt M ___ CD Cu < to ---, < 7 tend to 7. In taking notes from my textbook, dowr, so much material that it a worthwhile 5 4 3 2 procedure. 8. When exam time rolls around, I have more potes 5 4 3 2 1 than I have time to study. I do not understand 9. After taking notes, at times 4 3 2 1 what my notes mean. 5 unimportant 10. At times I end up taking notes on 5 3 2 1 material. to me when I 11. My lecture notes do not make s'nse 2 1 reread tham after a lecture 5 4 3 lecture notes 12. I usually borrow another student's do not understand my own notes. 5 4 3 2 1 because I for me to be able 13. Most professors talk too fast i4 3 2 1 to record all of theimportant points. 5 Frierson & Stevenson, 1980 7 Scoring Instructions: The SSAI Note-Taking Scale provides you with an estimate of your note- taking skills based on your responses. Scales on learning strategies, time management and test ta.-ing are also available through the authors. List your numerical rating for each question. Note-taking Question 1 2 3 5 6 7 q 10 11 12 13 sum = N = 13 Add the values you listed in the blanks and divide by "N" (13). An averageof3.5 of less indicates that you should cover the complete study guide. An average higher than 3.5 but 4.5 or less indicates that your study skills are-,00d, but not perfect. Review the guide for additional tips that should impr,,ve your skills. An average grreater than 4.5 suggests that your skills are very good, however, you may still wish to review this guide for additional tips that will prove helpful to you. REVIEW !ND PRESEIsTATION OF BASIC VECHANICS presenting note takingstr4Legies let's look Before we begindiscussing and head!_ tactics: Briefhand, use of concept at four timesaving and organizational orcanizers, and timemanagement. BR1EFHAND and symbols that canle used to Briefhand is a systemof abbreviations spent on spellingout fullwords: reduce time innote-taking normally Simplicity development of abriefhand system. Simplicity is thekey to The especially that short cutssometimes cause, helps to minimizethe confusion self created. when briefhandsyLbols have been briefhand notations arelisted below: Some standard change A 6-.3?a gram therefore :aigsut by you book increasing /rising /high why'Ai '01(71)V 01320.4 decreasing /fad ing /low because .4/ unchanged tota, .© with L.,/ approximately Orpr. withoutWI° next related point lirtiy i , within WP right between 19hN)t®/ throughVAN left calorie meeting 1019 A compoundGAT number .4 substance%dr question0 physical diagnosis r2/4ct:i4 male C7 patholOgy Pal female T psychiatry Pc0,1 national tiatti bacteriology 67icCt organism"TA neuroanatomy 4tatilb weight wt:' briefhand notations. Now it's your turn. Create your own -6- / 10 CONCEPT HEADINGS A,;;);-:OP.Dc Concept headings are key words or linking words .that help organize, classify and categorize subject matter. Concept headings are words that help clarify relationships between-or among the topics and their related details. Concept heads can also serve as study aids for exainations. A professor can use concept words in exam questions because of their general character. Many exam questions are generated from concept words. When organizing notes in categories using subject relatedconcept words, you are beginning tr, think in the manner of a professor who is organizing his/her notes for class.'Using this approach you will be able to develop some possibie exam questions. on your own! A LIST OF SOME CONCEPT WORDS THAT CAN BE USED AS HEADINGS function lucation importance effect kinds composition mobility appearances morbidity movement organization shape size parts type innervations source color incidence orqin characteristics insertion reason Hear is an example of concept words in use. Concept words used in this example are: parts, composition, location, shape, effect, function, location, appearance, character'stics, and movement. Read passage: Molluscum Contagiosum "Molluscum contagiosum is a benign skin disease characterised by theoccurrence of raised, umbilicated, waxy cutaneous nodules. The lesions may be multiple, in which case the diagnosis usually is made clinically, or single, in which case the lesion may be suspected of being neoplastic and often is excised for diganosis. The lesions heal spontaneously, usually after a few months, and are not associated with constitutional symptoms." (p.