Sara Steinke

Reading and note-making tips

STAY AHEADAUTUMN PROGRAMME 2011

Aims of the session• Outline key reading skills to help you read more

efficiently and effectively

• Consider key note-taking skills to help you take notes more efficiently and effectively

• Provide opportunities to put these study skills into practice

• Reflect upon your present strengths in reading and note-taking skills, the areas for improvement that you are hoping for and the strategies that work best for you

Think about the following

1. What note-taking methods have you used in your first term at Birkberk? What are the areas of improvement that you are hoping for?

2. What reading techniques have you used in your first term at Birkbeck? What are the areas of improvement that you are hoping for?

I try to take down everything that is said/on the PowerPoint presentation in lectures.

I am unsure what the purpose of note-taking is.

I am uncertain about how many notes to take.

I am unsure what to make notes on.

I do not take time to organize my notes so that I can retrieve them later on.

I only know one way for note-taking.

I read the words on the page but am not taking them in.

I spend too much or too little time on the reading.

I have difficulty expressing what I have read in my own words.

I simply do not understand the material.

I find the language used too complicated.

Academic Vs Non-academic Reading

In academic reading the reader is:• Active • Selective and interacts

with the reading material

• Has a particular question in his/her mind

• Re-reads with a purpose

In non-academic reading the reader is:

• Passive

• Reads from page one till the end

• The author guides the reader through his/her narrative

Active reading Active note-taking

How to take linear notes

• Make headings and subheadings

• List key words• Number the points• Underline, colour, use capital

letters for emphasis• Use abbreviations• Add your own personal

thoughts later• Only use one side of a page

in case you want to add more• Note name of authors you

want/need to read in margin

How to mind map

• Turn the paper sideways, A3 landscape is best• Write the topic in the centre of the page• Write related ideas around this centre• Add secondary ideas to the main ideas• Link up these ideas to show relationships• Use colours, different line thickness, symbols, pictures etc.• Add details to points as you go along

Reflective/active learning

1. Write down the three most important things that you have learnt/thought about in this session? Why were they important to you?

2. Are there any areas of improvement that you need to take action on? If so, what are you doing to do to improvement this aspect of your learning?

Recap of the session• Outlined key reading skills to help you read more

efficiently and effectively: SQ3R

• Considered key note-taking skills to help you take notes more efficiently and effectively: linear notes and mind mapping

• Provided opportunities to practice these study skills

• Reflected upon your present strengths in reading and note-taking skills, the areas for improvement that you are hoping for and the strategies that work best for you

http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilitiessupport/reading (several online resources available on the Birkbeck Library website)

http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/gethead-stay-ahead/skills/notetaking (interactive tutorial)

http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/getahead-stay ahead/skills/reading (interactive tutorial)

http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/studyskills/learning/reading.asp

http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/studyskills/reading/notes.asp

Cottrell, S. (2008) The Study Skills Handbook, 3rd Edition, Macmillan, London Chapter 6 ‘Research skills’ pp.111-136

Northedge, A. (2005) The GoodStudy Guide (Milton Keynes,Open University Press) chapter5 ‘Reading’ pp.101-128 and chapter 6 ‘Making notes’ pp.128-156