Page 188 - Keys To Community College Success

WHAT NOTE-TAKING
formats can you use?

Now that you have gathered some useful strategies for what goes into your notes
and how to study that material, take a look at different note-taking formats. As you
read, keep some questions in mind:

■ What class or type of instruction is this format best suited for? Why?
■ How could I make use of this format?
■ Which format seems most comfortable to me?
■ What format might be most compatible with my learning preferences? Why?
This section discusses different note-taking formats. As Norton found, different for-
mats may suit different courses, so don’t assume that the format that seems most com-
fortable to you will be the best choice for every academic subject. To select a format
that works best in each class, take the following into account:

■ The instructor’s style (which will be clear after a few classes). In the same term,
you may have an instructor who is organized, another who jumps around and
talks rapidly, and a third who goes off topic in response to questions. Be flexible
as you adapt.
■ The course material. You may decide that an informal outline works best for a
highly structured lecture and that a mind map (discussed later in the chapter) is
right for a looser presentation. Try one note-taking format for several classes,
then adjust if necessary.
■ Your learning preferences. For the greatest reward in exchange for your effort,
choose strategies that make the most of your strengths and compensate for
weaknesses.
Now look at examples of various note-taking formats and how they work.

Outlines
Outlines use a standard structure to show how ideas interrelate. Formal outlines indi-
cate idea dominance and subordination with Roman numerals, uppercase and lower-
case letters, and numbers. In contrast, informal outlines show the same associations but
replace the formality with a format of consistent indenting and dashes.
When a lecture seems well organized, an informal outline can show how ideas and
supporting details relate and can indicate levels of importance. Key 6.4 shows how the
structure of an informal outline could help a student take notes on the topic of tropical
rain forests. During class time, it is usually easier and faster to use an informal outline
than to carefully construct a formal outline using letters and numbers to identify pieces
of information.
From time to time, an instructor may give you a guide, usually in outline form, to
help you take notes in class. This outline, known as guided notes, may be on the board,
on an overhead projector, or on a handout that you receive at the beginning of class.
Guided notes do not replace your own notes. Designed to be sketchy and limited, they
require you to fill in the details during class, which helps you to pay attention. In addi-
tion, the act of writing helps anchor your memory of information (you may learn more
about memory strategies elsewhere in your text).
When an instructor’s presentation is disorganized, it may be difficult to use an
6 outline. Focus instead on taking down whatever information you can as you try to
CHAPTER 150 situations.
connect key topics. The following note-taking methods can be beneficial in such