s t u d ent s p l u s
14. Learning and remembering - 2
Understand your learning preferences and
learn effectively
H
ave you ever tried to learn
something fairly simple, yet
failed to grasp the key ideas?
Or tried to teach people and found
that some were overwhelmed or con-
fused by something quite basic?
If so, you may have experienced a
clash of learning styles: your learn-
ing preferences and those of your
instructor or audience may not have
been aligned. When this occurs, not
only is it frustrating for everyone, the
communication process breaks down
and learning fails.
Figure 1: Learning Styles Index
Sensory
Sensory learners prefer
concrete, practical, and
procedural information. They
look for the facts.
Visual
Visual learners prefer graphs,
pictures, and diagrams. They
look for visual representations
of information.
Active
Active learners prefer to
manipulate objects, do physical
experiments, and learn by trying.
They enjoy working in groups to
figure out problems.
Sequential
Sequential learners prefer to have
information presented linearly
and in an orderly manner. They
put together the details in order
to understand the big picture
emerges.
16
Once you know your own natural
learning preference, you can work
on expanding the way you learn, so
that you can learn in other ways, not
just in your preferred style. And, by
understanding learning styles, you can
learn to create an environment in which
everyone can learn from you, not just
those who use your preferred style.
Felder and Silverman’s Index
of Learning Styles
One of the most widely used mod-
els of learning styles is the Index of
Learning Styles developed by Rich-
Intuitive
Intuitive learners prefer
conceptual, innovative, and
theoretical information. They
look for the meaning.
Verbal
Verbal learners prefer to hear
or read information. They look
for explanations with words.
Reflective
Reflective learners prefer to think
things through, to evaluate options,
and learn by analysis. They enjoy
figuring out a problem on their
own.
Global
Global learners prefer a holistic
and systematic approach. They
see the big picture first and then
fill in the details.
Don bosco march 2009
ard Felder and Linda Silverman in
the late 1980s. According to this
model (which Felder revised in 2002)
there are four dimensions of learning
styles. Think of these dimensions as a
continuum with one learning prefer-
ence on the far left and the other on
the far right.
Once you spot your preferences, you
can begin to stretch beyond those
preferences and develop a more bal-
anced approach to learning. Not only
will you improve your learning effec-
tiveness, you will open yourself up
to many different ways of perceiving
the world.
Balance is key. You don’t want to get
too far on any one side of the learning
dimensions. When you do that you
limit your ability to take in new infor-
mation and make sense of it quickly,
accurately, and effectively.
Using the Learning Style Index
You can us the learning style index
to develop your own learning skills
and also to help you create a rounded
learning experience for other people.
(I) Developing Your Learning Skills
Step One:
Identify your learning preferences
for each learning dimension. Read

through the explanations of each
learning preference and choose the
one that best reflects your style..
Step Two:
Analyze your results and identify
those dimensions where you are “out
of balance,” meaning you have a very
Figure 2: Bringing Your Learning Styles Into Balance
Sensory Learners – If you rely too
much on sensing, you can tend to prefer
what is familiar, and concentrate on facts
you know instead of being innovative
and adapting to new situations. Seek
out opportunities to learn theoretical
information and then bring in facts to
support or negate these theories.
Intuitive Learners – If you rely too
much on intuition you risk missing
important details, which can lead to poor
decision-making and problem solving.
Force yourself to learn facts or memorize
data that will help you defend or criticize a
theory or procedure you are working with.
You may need to slow down and look
at detail you would otherwise typically
skim.
Visual Learners – If you concentrate more
on pictorial or graphical information than
on words, you put yourself at a distinct
disadvantage because verbal and written
information is still the main preferred
choice for delivery of information.
Practice your note taking and seek out
opportunities to explain information to
others using words.
Verbal Learners – When information
is presented in diagrams, sketches,
flow charts, and so on, it is designed
to be understood quickly. If you can
develop your skills in this area you can
significantly reduce time spent learning
and absorbing information. Look for
opportunities to learn through audio-
visual presentations (such as CD-ROM
and Webcasts.) When making notes,
group information according to concepts
and then create visual links with arrows
going to and from them. Take every
opportunity you can to create charts and
tables and diagrams.
strong preference for one style and
dislike the other.
Step Three:
For each out of balance area, use the
information in figure 2 to improve
your skills in areas where you need
development.
Active Learners – If you act before
you think you are apt to make hasty and
potentially ill-informed judgments. You
need to concentrate on summarizing
situations, and taking time to sit by
yourself to digest information you
have been given before jumping in and
discussing it with others.
Reflective Learners – If you think too
much you risk doing nothing… ever.
There comes a time when a decision has
to be made or an action taken. Involve
yourself in group decision-making when-
ever possible and try to apply the infor-
mation you have in as practical a manner
as possible.
Sequential Learners – When you break
things down into small components you
are often able to dive right into problem
solving. This seems to be advantageous
but can often be unproductive. Force
yourself to slow down and understand
why you are doing something and how
it is connected to the overall purpose or
objective. Ask yourself how your actions
are going to help you in the long run. If
you can’t think of a practical application
for what you are doing then stop and do
some more “big picture” thinking.
Global Learners – If grasping the big
picture is easy for you, then you can be
at risk of wanting to run before you can
walk. You see what is needed but may
not take the time to learn how best to ac-
complish it. Take the time to ask for ex-
planations, and force yourself to complete
all problem-solving steps before coming
to a conclusion or making a decision. If
you can’t explain what you have done and
why, then you may have missed critical
details.
Don bosco march 2009
s t u d ent s p l u s
(II) Creating a Rounded Learning
Experience for Others
Whenever you are training or
communicating with others, you
have information and ideas that you
want them to understand and learn
effectively and efficiently. Your
audience is likely to demonstrate a
wide range of learning preferences,
and your challenge is to provide
variety that helps them learn quickly
and well.
Your preferred teaching and
communication methods may in fact
be influenced by your own learning
preferences. For example, if you
prefer visual rather than verbal
learning, you may in turn tend to
provide a visual learning experience
for your audience.
Be aware of your preferences and
the range of preference of your
audiences. Provide a balanced
learning experience by:
Sensory - Intuitive: Provide both hard
facts and general concepts.
Visual - Verbal: Incorporate both
visual and verbal cues.
Active - Reflective: Allow both
experiential learning and time for
evaluation and analysis.
Sequential - Global: Provide detail in
a structured way, as well as the big
picture.
Merlyn Ross
merlyns@rediffmail.com
Dear students, write to merlyns@redif-
fmail.com about the problems and anxiet-
ies you face in your studies. They will be
addressed in the forthcoming issues.
17
 S T UD E N T S PLU S
6. A time to look back &
time to plan...
D
ear Students, I am
sure you enjoyed your
holidays. I guess many
of you would have
visited many places and
are reluctantly getting back to classes.
Of course there are expectations as you
enter into the advance level of study.
This is the time to look back and see
how you fared in your study last year.
The marks you scored would indicate
how you fared. Similarly this is the
time you prepare yourself and plan for
the year that lies ahead of you. I have
given you lots of tips for you to equip
yourself. Read carefully the following
guide to a complete plan for your study
and faithfully follow the instructions
given here.
Factors to Consider When
Planning Your Time
Be Flexible: Some weeks will be busier
than others, and unforeseen things can
happen. Remember that a timetable is
only a guide. You don’t have to follow it
religiously every week, but try to stick
to your plan. If you miss it, don’t panic
- look at the schedule and rearrange
your time.
Be Realistic : Time management is
all about taking responsibility for your
learning. The best plan is to be aware of
24
how much time you have and manage
it effectively. So be realistic about your
time and what you can do with it.
Over commitment: Before you
undertake study, you need to assess
the demand it makes on your time. Be
realistic about the amount of time an
assignment will take you to complete.
Different tasks require different
amounts of preparation time. For
example, you might only need a few
hours to prepare for a tutorial, but
writing an assignment will take longer.
You can’t produce good, well-written
work unless you give yourself enough
time to think, research and write.
Brilliant assignments are not written
the night before. So start them in
good time.
Seeking Help : It’s easy to procras-
tinate when you experience difficulties
with an assignment, but putting off
only means you will have less time to
work on it. If you miss a deadline, you
will lose marks. So, if you think you
need some assistance, ask for it.
Common Time Wasters
Problem : Feeling so overwhelmed
and anxious about your workload that
Don bosco june 2008
you ‘freeze’, put things off and don’t
get anything done.
Solution : 1. Set priorities. 2. Get
started. Actually starting a task reduces
your anxiety about it. List all the tasks
you have to do in order of importance
and urgency, and work through them
one at a time.
Problem : Procrastination: spending
time on irrelevant tasks when you
know you should be studying.
Solution : 1. Set study goals and
vary your study techniques. 2. Make
a ‘to do’ list. The problems mentioned
above are classic ‘delaying’ tactics to
put off starting work. Start a task that is
giving you anxiety. Even if you just jot
down a plan about how you will proceed
further, at least you’ve made a start!
Make a list of what you have to do in
order of priority.
Problem : Putting off starting a task
because it feels so overwhelming or
difficult that you can’t face it.
Solution : Break up the workload into
small achievable tasks. Then when you
sit down to study, you are not facing
a huge, daunting pile of work, but
one small task. Complete a ‘chunk’
every study period. Take a break after
completing a ‘chunk’. If it’s something
you’ve really been dreading, reward
yourself when you’ve done it!
Problem : Daydreaming or ‘drifting off’.
Solution : Check your energy level
and concentration. Take a short break
or a little exercise every hour. Open a
window and walk around. If you drift
off, try visualising a red stop light. Hold
that image for a few seconds-then switch
to a green light and go back to work.
Problem : Feeling that you can’t begin
because you won’t be able to produce a
‘perfect’ result.
Solution : Aim at reasonable results!
Rather than aiming for a masterpiece
each time, it’s better to produce something
- and pass - than to put it off for so long
that you produce nothing at all.

Problem : The ‘Too Hard’ Basket:
deciding that “I didn’t want to do this
course / study / unit anyway!”
Solution : 1. Re-examine your mo-
tives for studying. 2. Ask for advice.
3. Use the ‘balance sheet method’.
Students do change their minds about
their studies. You may even feel
that you have taken the wrong path.
However, changing courses should be
rational decision, not a reaction made
out of frustration because the work is
‘too hard’.
A Practical Guide to Plan and
to Set Priorities
1.Set Goals and other things.
This can be one or two lists, a monthly
list and or a long-term list. Put down
your goals and things you have to
do. What do you want to accomplish
over the next month or year? What
do you need to buy? Use this list to
keep track of all your commitments. If
you’re worried about something, put it
on this list. The purpose of this list is
to develop long-term goals and to free
your mind to concentrate on today.
Avoid distractions and lack of focus.
Time is precious. Yet many people
waste time by getting stuck in one or
more of the following habits.
Procrastination - putting off important
jobs.
Crises management - being over-
whelmed by the current crisis. No time
for routine matters.
Switching and floundering - lack of
concentration and focus on one job.
Television, telephones and friends -
these are all ways of avoiding work.
Emotional blocks - boredom, day-
dreaming, stress, guilt, anger and frus-
tration reduce concentration.
Sickness - getting sick and blowing
your schedule.
In all of these cases, the first step is
to recognize the problem and resolve
to improve. Use priority lists to focus
S T UD E N T S PLU S
attention. Try positive self-talk. To • Enter important dates for your social
avoid distractions, find a quiet place to and family life
study, the library or a study hall.
• Each week develop a daily schedule
2.Write out and set your priorities. that includes routines and important
List three goals or objectives that are dates
most important to you, and indicate
whether they are long range, medium • Place this schedule on your notice
board of the study area : for referral and
range, or immediate:
review, and to mark your progress
long medium now!
Goals • Each evening develop a schedule:
range range
to help you organize the next day,
1 include routines, errands and important
2 appointments
3
• Review each day’s schedule that
3 .Determine how you spend a morning Work on those matters that
typical week are critical to you, and leave matters to
others that are not important. Review
As you enter the hours or parts of
how you spend your time in order to help
hours for each activity, that amount is
you prioritize your goals and objectives.
subtracted from each day’s total:
Hours left Mon Tues Wed Thu Fri Sat Son 4. Prepare the weekly calendar.
in each day:
Create a weekly calendar. Make it your
basic time budgeting guide. List your
Daily Activities:
courses, work, study time, recreation,
Classes: meals, TV, relaxation, etc. Plan to study
Studying: first priority classes when you work
best. Be flexible, adapt your schedule
Sleeping:
to changing needs. Keep your schedule
Exercise/sports: handy and refer to it often. If it doesn’t
Work/internship: work, change it.
Family 5. Set aside a diary for the daily
commitments:
“Things to Do”.
Personal Write down all the things that you want
care/grooming:
to do today. Note homework due or
Meal preparation/ tests or subjects you want to emphasize.
eating/clean-up: Include shopping and personal calls,
Transportation etc. This list is a reminder. Use it to set
(school, work, etc): daily priorities and to reduce decision-
Relaxation: TV/
video games, etc.: making and worry. If time is tight,
move items to your long-term list.
Socializing & Rewrite this list each morning. Use
friends:
visualization to help you focus on what
Other: to do. This list is also a measure of your
day-to-day success. Check off items as
you finish them and praise yourself for
• Pick up a copy of your school’s term/
each accomplishment.
semester calendar
Merlyn Ross
• Develop a calendar of important merlyns@rediffmail.com
dates for your classes: Tests, papers, Dear students, write to merlyns@redif-
projects, readings, mid-term and final fmail.com about the problems and anxiet-
exams, holidays, breaks, study days, etc. ies you face in your studies. They will be
addressed in the forthcoming issues.
Don bosco june 2008 25
 S T UD E N T S PLU S
7. Learn How to Take
Class Notes
W
hy take notes? There are
three basic reasons: to
learn, for reference, and to
keep you thinking. But taking good
lecture notes isn’t easy. Good lecture
notes must summarise the main points,
include the important ideas in you own
words, and list the specific details
needed for your purpose in this class.
To be successful, you must make what
you hear part of your own thinking. In
our day-to-day life, note-taking
influences the academic success of all
high school and college students. They
will increasingly have to depend on
their ability to take notes in order to be
successful in the classroom.
Good class notes are essential to good
study skills. If you study bad notes,
it’s pretty clear that you won’t perform
very well on tests. But what are good
notes? Good notes capture the most
important facts and enable you to
understand how every fact fits into a
larger puzzle. Many students fall into
the trap of attempting to write down
every word the teacher speaks. This is
unnecessary, but even worse, it’s
confusing. The key to good notes is
identifying the most important things
to write down.
24
Two Distinct Categories of Note- The permanent record helps to
Taking overcome our limitations in recording
Studies about the effect of note-taking
on achievement recognize that there
are two distinct categories of note-
taking. The first category suggests
that the notes themselves are valuable
because 1) help the learner rehearse
the lecture content and 2) can serve as
a memory device that can help the
student to remember parts of the
content that were not included in the
notes themselves.
The second category suggests that the
act of taking notes is important
because it 1) increases attention and
concentration, 2) encourages students
to process the material at a deeper
level, and 3) provides a means of
connecting new learning with prior
knowledge.
In other words students need to take
notes during their class or lecture
because –
A permanent record is constructed
which is invaluable for revision and
subsequent relearning.
Don bosco july 2008
and storing information.
Moreover some lectures cannot be
fully understood during the lecture
itself. Indeed the purpose of most
lectures is not to impart information
for immediate recall. The aim is
rather to present fundamental ideas,
to outline topics for study, and to get
students to follow up references and
to do further work and study on
their own.
The Amount of Notes to Take
There is no simple answer to the
question of how full your notes should
be. The amount you need to take
down will depend on:
1) The content of the lecture – very
factual expository lecture may
necessitate a great quantity of notes.
2) Whether or not you are familiar
with the topic – the less familiar you
are with the subject the fuller your
notes will need to be.
3) Whether the information is
readily available in a textbook or
elsewhere – if no other source is
readily available, notes may have to
be full.

In taking notes there are, then three
courses open to you: (1) you can take
down as much of the lecture as
possible, (2) you can take outline
notes, including, in more details,
definitions, tables of figures, graphs
etc., as may seem necessary, (3) you
can take a skeleton outline only – or
no notes at all. The middle course (2)
is generally recommended the most.
Using Abbreviations for Note-
Taking
It is found that students perform note-
taking more efficiently when they are
allowed “to encode information”
using abbreviations. The use of
abbreviations decreases hands and
eyes engagement and enable to record
spoken information more efficiently.
Moreover, abbre-viating the spoken
“
word increases the attention and
concentration span, and provides
Be Prepared To Take
Good Notes
Know Your Instructor’s
Style
Understand What You
Write
Take Your Notes The
Same Way
”
Make Notes On Your
Notes
more time for students to comprehend
class material. They can process
spoken information into written form
faster and it enhances retention of the
information and can lead to
improvement in overall organisation
of their notes.
Note Taking Tips
As you get involved with the
complexities of note-taking, you may
tend to forget the simple things that
can make life a lot easier. These tips
are little hints that we all know, but
forget sometimes. They can be
summarised by four directives:
1. BE ALERT – so you are aware of
and prepared for the lecture content
and situation.
2. BE ORDERLY – so you can process
the lecture now and for review later.
3. BE SYTEMATIC – so you can
establish a habit pattern and won’t
miss anything important.
4. BE UP TO DATE – so that your well
designed note-taking system gets done.
Below is a list of tips which may help
you be alert, orderly, systematic, and
up to date.
Attend lectures regularly. Once you
miss one, it will be easier to
miss more.
Use a standard 8 ½” x 11” loose leaf
notebook, for continued organisation
and review. Spiral notebooks do not
allow reshuffling your notes
for review.
Keep the notes of one class separate
from other classes.
Write on one side of the paper for
easier organisation. It’s possible to
overlook material written on the back
of a sheet.
Leave your notebook at home and
carry with you only enough pages to
keep track of the lecture. This way
you won’t lose your entire set of notes
if you should you misplace them.
Carry extra pens and pencils for
editing and unforeseen obstacles
(UFO’s).
Don’t doodle because it distracts.
Keep eye contact when not writing.
Make notes as complete as needed
and as clear as possible so they can be
used meaningfully later.
Leave blanks where information is
missed or misunderstood. Fill in gaps
Don bosco july 2008
S T UD E N T S PLU S
after lecture or as soon after as
possible when the aid of the instructor
or classmates.
Develop your own system of
enumerating and indenting.
Use symbols such as asterisks for
emphasis.
Separate your thoughts from those of
the lecture; record your own items
after the lecture.
Be alert for cues, postural, visual,
etc.
Listen especially at the end of the
lecture. If the instructor has not paced
his lecture well, he may cram half of
the content into the last 5 – 10
minutes.
Get into the five-minute technique
and review your notes right after
class. At this time you can change,
organize, add, delete, summarize, or
clarify misunderstands.
Have study sessions once or twice a
week to learn omissions and clear up
misinterpretations.
It is important that you are critical
when note taking and that you only
write or draw what you will need later
on, and that you record the information
in a format that is easy to understand.
The lecturer or author will organise
his or her material in a logical way so
try to utilise their organisational skills
when note taking. And most
importantly, after taking effective
notes, it is important to organise and
store your notes effectively. Effective
note taking should reduce your study
time, should increase your retention
of knowledge, and should provide
you with a summarised list of
resources for your future projects.
Merlyn Ross
merlyns@rediffmail.com
Dear students, write to merlyns@redif-
fmail.com about the problems and anxiet-
ies you face in your studies. They will be
addressed in the forthcoming issues.
25
 S T UD E N T S PLU S

9. The Five Methods of

Taking Notes -2
A
s we have seen in
our last issue, I had
mentioned about the
methods of note-
taking. There are This is probably
five methods of note taking. Last
time we saw the Cornell method of the most
note-taking. Now let us see the other
methods of note-taking.
commonly used
The Outlining Method approach to
This is probably the most commonly taking notes. It is
used approach to taking notes. It
is a good method to use when the a good method
information is organised. Dash or
indented outlining is usually best to use when the
except for some science classes such
as physics or math.
information is
1. The information which is most organised.
generally used begins at the left with
each more specific group of facts
indented with spaces to the right. Advantages and disadvantages
2. The relationships between the It can be well-organised system if it
different parts are carried is done right. The outlining records
out through indenting. content as well as relationships. It
also reduces editing and is easy to
3. No numbers, letters, or Roman review by turning main points into
numerals are needed. questions. The disadvantages could
4. Use standard Roman numerals be that it requires more thought in
or a free form, indented out line to class for accurate organisation. This
organise the information in a lecture. system may not show relationships
by sequence when needed. It doesn’t
5. Organise your notes by major lend to diversity of a review attach
points and supporting ideas. This minor points start building to a major
for maximum learning and question point). This can be used when there
allows you to record and organise application. This system cannot be
at the same time. is enough time in the lecture to think
used if the lecture is too fast. about and make organisation decisions
6. Leave spaces between sections or Therefore the outline format can be when they are needed. This format
main ideas. used if the lecture is presented in can be most effective when your note-
7. If the instructor returns to a point outline organisation. This may be taking skills are super sharp and you
later, you can add information in either deductive (regular outline) can handle the outlining regardless of
the appropriate section. or inductive (reverse outline where the note-taking situation.
24 Don bosco SEPTEMBER 2008
 S T UD E N T S PLU S

Example for Outline Method

Study Skills
1. Note taking
• Before class
– Read set text
– Sleep well
• During class
– Focus
– Note key ideas
– Leave blanks if you
don’t understand
– Ask questions
• After class
– Organise your notes
– Review often
2. Reading
• Read often and for short
periods
• Use the SQ3R method
– Survey the text
– Ask yourself questions
This format helps you to visually track
– Read and find answers your lecture regardless of the situation.
– Recite - to test your
understanding
and evolves in a note-taking form Review by covering lines for memory
– Review – until you un-
which relates each fact or idea to drill and relationships. Main points
derstand and remember it
every other fact or idea. Mapping can be written on flash or note cards
3. Memory is a graphic representation of the and pieced together into a table or
• Organise your ideas content of a lecture. It is a method larger structure at a later date. And
• Use rhymes or acronyms that maximises active participation, the disadvantage would be that you
affords immediate knowledge as to may not hear changes in content from
• Visualise
its understanding, and emphasises major points to facts.
• Recite critical thinking. This Method helps
• Tell it to a friend writers analyse, organise, and present
When to Use
You need to use this when the lecture
information with clarity focus
The Mapping Method content is heavy and well-organised.
and impact.
It is a diagram used to represent You may also use this effectively
words, ideas, tasks, or other items Advantages and disadvantages when you have a guest lecturer and
linked to and arranged radically This format helps you to visually have no idea how the lecture is going
around a central key word or idea. It is track your lecture regardless of the to be presented.
used to generate, visualise, structure, conditions. Little thinking is needed
and classify ideas, and as an aid in and relationships can easily be seen. Merlyn Ross
It is also easy to edit your notes by merlyns@rediffmail.com
study, organisation, problem solving,
decision making, and writing. adding numbers, marks, and colour Dear students, write to merlyns@redif-
coding. Review will call for you to fmail.com about the problems and anxiet-
Mapping is a method that uses restructure thought processes which ies you face in your studies. They will be
comprehension/concentration skills will force you to check understanding. addressed in the forthcoming issues.

Don bosco SEPTEMBER 2008 25

 S T UD E N T S PLU S
T
here are many reasons for
taking class/lecture notes.
First of all you must know
that making yourself take notes
forces you to listen carefully and
test your understanding of the
material. Secondly, when you are
reviewing, notes provide a gauge to
what is important in the text. Thirdly,
personal notes are usually easier to
remember than the text. Lastly, the
writing down of important points
helps you to remember then even
before you have studied the material
formally. Earlier you have seen the
three types of taking class notes. Here
I would like to bring before the last
two ways of taking class notes.
The Charting Method
This is another way of taking class
notes. If the lecture format is distinct
(such as chronological), you may set
Its an easy
review for both,
memorisation of
facts and study
of comparisons
and
relationships.
16
10. The Five Methods of
Taking Notes -3
up your paper by drawing columns few disadvantages except learning
and labelling appropriate headings in how to use the system and locating
a table. the appropriate categories. You must
be able to understand what’s happen-
This method is very simple.
ing in the lecture.
Determine the categories to be
covered in the lecture. Set up your When to Use
paper in advance by columns headed This method will be useful during
by these categories. As you listen
to the lecture, record information
the test that will focus on both facts
and relationships; when the content is
(words, phrases, main ideas, etc.) into
the appropriate category.
heavy and presented fast; when you
want to reduce the amount of time
The advantage of this method is that
it helps you track conversation and
you spend editing and reviewing at
test time; and when you want to get
dialogues where you would normally
be confused and lose out on relevant
an overview of the whole course on
one big paper sequence.
content. It reduces amount of writing
necessary. And it provides easy re-
Example:
view mechanism for both memoriza-
tion of facts
and study of
comparisons
and relation-
ships. It has
Don bosco october 2008

The Sentence Method
This is the last method of taking
notes. How does this method work?
Write every new thought, fact or
topic on a separate line, numbering as
you progress.
The advantage of this method is that
it is slightly more organized than the
paragraph. It will help you get more
or all of the information that you’ve
wanted and thinking to tract content
is still limited. The disadvantages are
that it can’t determine major/minor
points from the numbered sequence.
It will be difficult to edit without
having to rewrite by clustering
points which are related and it will
be difficult to review unless editing
cleans up relationship.
It is useful when the lecture is
somewhat organized, but heavy with
content which comes fast. You can
hear the different points, but you
don’t know how they fit together. The
instructor tends to present in point
fashion, but not in grouping such as
“three related points.”
Notes taken
down in
shorthand
needs to be
transcribed.
Lecture on
tape has to
be listened to
in its entirety.
Examples:
A revolution is any occurrence that
affects other aspects of life, such
as economic life, social life, and so
forth. Therefore revolutions cause
change. (See page 29 to 30 in your
text about this.)
Sample Notes:
Revolution - occurrence that affects
other aspects of life: e.g., econ., socl.,
etc. C.f. text, pp. 29-30
Saving Time on Taking Notes
Here are some hints regarding taking
notes on classroom lectures that can
save time for almost any student.
Some students say that they plan to
rewrite or type their notes later. To
do so is to use a double amount of
time; once to take the original notes
and a second to rewrite them. The
Don bosco october 2008
S T UD E N T S PLU S
advice is simple: DO IT RIGHT THE
FIRST TIME!
Second, there are some students who
attempt to take notes in shorthand.
Though shorthand is a valuable tool
for a secretary, it is almost worthless
for a student doing academic work.
Here’s why. Notes in shorthand
cannot be studied in that form. They
must first be transcribed. The act of
transcribing notes takes an inordinate
amount of time and energy but does
not significantly contribute to their
mastery. It is far better to have
taken the notes originally in regular
writing and then spend the time after
that in direct study and recitation of
the notes.
Third, do not record the lesson on a
cassette tape or any other tape. The
lecture on tape precludes flexibility.
This statement can be better
understood when seen in the light of
a person who has taken his/her notes
in regular writing. Immediately
after taking the notes this person can
study them in five minutes before the
next class as s/he walks toward the
next building, as s/he drinks his/her
coffee, or whatever. Furthermore,
this student, in looking over his/her
notes, may decide that the notes
contain only four worthwhile ideas
which s/he can highlight, relegating
the rest of the lecture to obscurity.
Whereas the lecture on tape has to
be listened to in its entirety including
the worthwhile points as well as the
“garbage,” handwritten notes may be
studied selectively. A student who
takes the easy way out - recording
the lecture on tape as he or she sits
back doing nothing - will box him or
herself into inflexibility.
Merlyn Ross
merlyns@rediffmail.com
Dear students, write to merlyns@redif-
fmail.com about the problems and anxiet-
ies you face in your studies. They will be
addressed in the forthcoming issues.
17