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Taking
Notes
Both
teachers and researchers have observed the need to provide students
with direct instruction for taking notes—extracting relevant
information and recording that information in useful ways. The most
effective instruction provides students with an explanation of the
importance of note-taking and is sustained over a significant period
of time.
Two
Column Note-Taking System
Also called the "PUNS," "Cornell," or "Pauk"
method. PUNS, a research-based note-taking system, encourages students
to review their notes immediately after a lecture and pull out key
words from them. The steps are:
- Record—Ask
students to record notes on the right side of a sheet of loose-leaf
paper, leaving a 3-inch margin on the left. Outlines can help
students identify main topics. Have students leave space where
they need more information.
- Organize—Soon
after the lecture, students should summarize the text by writing
key words inside the left margin. Students should also add any
information they missed during the lecture.
- Study—Students
should review their notes by reciting information they know and
looking at the key words. Students can also use key words to create
study questions.
Listed
below are online resources on improving students' note-taking strategies.
Sites
That Matter
Notetaking
Strategy: Two Column Format for Content Area Subjects
This site offers step-by-step guidelines on using two-column note-taking
for content area subjects, such as history, biology, earth science,
social studies, and general science.
http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/teaching_techniques/two.html
Note-Taking
Skills
This is a brief downloadable guide (PDF) on the two-column note-taking
system. http://www.differencemakers.com/dmc/pdfs/note_taking.pdf
ZapNotes
ZapNotes is a note-taking system that students can download onto their computer to help them organize ideas and concepts in preparation for writing. Students use ZapNotes much as they would use sticky notes or index cards - for jotting down ideas or information gathered on a topic - and can save, organize and export their notes digitally.
zapnotes.demarque.com/en/
Popular
Note Taking Systems
This site offers examples of various note-taking systems that are
both textual and graphic.
http://www.geocities.com/~newfields/art/note.htm#Popular
NoteStar
NoteStar is an online tool that students can use as they prepare and plan their research papers. The Student area allows students to take notes, track information, collaborate with other students and create bibliographies; the Teacher area gives teachers tools to monitor student progress, assign projects, check sources and correspond with students.
notestar.4teachers.org/
Selective
Underlining
Reading Quest provides a brief explanation of selective underlining
and how to teach students this strategy.
http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/
readquest/strat/underline.html
Summarizing
This resource from Reading Quest provides teachers with guidance
on how to teach students to summarize more effectively.
http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/
readquest/strat/summarize.html
Power
Thinking
Reading Quest provides an overview of "Power Thinking"
that includes a description of how the process works and examples
of what it looks like in practice.
http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/readquest/strat/pto.html
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