STAR Systems: Note Taking Reasons and Advice

1. STAR Systems: Note Taking Reasons and Advice Mr. Wong Room 1132 AVID

2. Why Take Notes?Good notes will… • …allow students to help each other problem solve. • …help students organize and process data and information. • …help students recall by getting them to process their notes at least 3 times.

3. Why Take Notes? • Cornell notes taking stimulates critical thinking skills. • Note taking helps students remember what is said in class. • A good set of notes can help students work on assignments and prepare for tests outside of the classroom.

4. IMPORTANT: Do NOT write down every single word I am about to say or everything you will see on this screen. That will be WAY too much information. Use abbreviations and write down only the main ideas. Be smart! Think! Don’t just copy like a stinkin’ robot! That’s what photocopiers are for.

5. Set up your paper… • a) Heading: • Name, class title, date • Upper Right-hand corner • b) Title: • Relates to the topic of the day • Not simply “Science” or “English” • c) Structure: • Line about three inches from left. • Fold, use a ruler, or make a quick mark with pen.

6. Taking notes… • Left: • Key words • Headings • Questions • Right: • Paraphrase the text or lecture • Save some space to add info later.

7. Taking notes… • Selective Listening Tips • Repetition • Tone/energy changes • Speed changes • Introductory Phrases • Spelling • Fairly unimportant, except in a language class • Use abbreviations & shortcuts to save time.

8. Taking notes… • Be sure to write/copy down… • …what the teacher repeats. • …what the teacher writes on the board. • …any visual aides used. • More Format Suggestions: • One idea per line or per paragraph. • Skip one line between each idea/paragraph. • Keep the right hand margin empty, so you can add information later.

9. After class… • Work with a partner. • Edit your notes. • Reread • Delete • Clarify • Use a highlighter to emphasize ideas.

10. After class… • Write down any questions you will need to bring to the teacher later. • Fill left hand column with questions that you might find on a test. Pretend you are a teacher – what will you ask to test this information? (If you learn to outsmart your teachers without being a jerk, you’ll do very well.)

11. After class… Summaries • Tell me what you learned from that session of note taking. • Write on the bottom of the last page of your notes, in the last 5-7 lines of your paper. • Ignore the dividing line.

12. Reviewing tips… • Review your notes:Regularly – that means consistently. (If you wait until the last minute nothing will remain in your brain for long.) • Do the Magic Trick:Fold your paper along the dividing line and you’ll be able to test yourself!

13. Abbreviations (Abrv) • Dev ur own abrv so u take notes faster. • Making ur own abrv: • 1st: write whole word or name. • Next: in parenthesis, make the abrv. Like this: Science (Sci) • From that point on use the abrv. • Leave out some vowels. • Trust your brain a tiny little bit. But no more than that.

14. Some of My Abbreviations

15. Cambridge University Research? Maybe… Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrgdie Uinervtisy, it deons’t mttear in waht oedrr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a tatol mses and you can sltil raed it wtihuot any moajr porlebms. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey ltteer by istlef, but the wrod as a wlhoe.