Reading and Taking notes
Should you take notes when you read? Not always but hang in there with me.
Let’s learn how to take notes well and from there you’ll learn get some surprising benefits:
how to know what to read and what not to read. Good readers don’t read everything
you’ll learn some strategies in developing your vocabulary as well.
it will help you in taking notes when you listen.
and finally it can help you see how the skills are related.
In this lesson, we’ll look at how to take notes for an article or chapter in a book that has sections or headings.
Look at this article on health. Don't read it but just look at the headings or sections. It has several sections. The first one is "Diet for Heart Health: The Role of Carbohydrates."
1.Step 1: Take notes on the introduction if there is one.
What do you need to take notes on?
I tend to take notes on the introduction if there is a definition and to get vocabulary for the topic, the title. Where do I get that vocabulary? I usually can get it from the first paragraph of the introduction and the thesis statement.
The thesis statement is the topic or title + controlling ideas. Sometimes the author does not write the controlling ideas which are rhetorical structure. Rhetorical structure is the way we think or organize in a language. Some popular rhetorical structures include problem/solution, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, process, expository (why), chronological order, logical division (types/kinds, qualities/characteristics/traits, advantages/disadvantages, definition, when/where/who, nouns and phrases), argumentative, summary/response or persuasive.
In a sectioned article, it is easy to find the thesis statement because it is the sentence before the first heading. In a non-sectioned or unified article, it is sometimes harder because sometimes the writer doesn’t write an organized essay. To find the thesis statement, look for the title.
2.Step 2. Write down the main ideas/topic sentences.
Instead of a heading, there will just be paragraphs. In a sectioned article, the topic sentences for the paragraphs were A, B, C. In a non-sectioned article, the topic sentences will be I, II and III.
3.Step 3. Write down the key information.
In a non-sectioned article, the key information might be inside the paragraph or another paragraph could continue the same idea.
Please remember to consider the following:
# of ideas. If there are subpoints inside each paragraph, write each one down as 1, 2, 3.
Organization of support. Look at the organization of support. If it is explaining just one idea, then you can just write down key phrases. If it is giving support, you need to write down that support if you think it is important. How do you know if it is important? If the writer spent a long time on an example or study. Most people don’t write down every statistic or quote. I sometimes write them down if I find them interesting. For support, just use the word EX for example or STUDY for study.
Note: Some people will paraphrase as they go. Many do not because they want to have that vocabulary available when they write and because paraphrasing is time consuming. For now, I don't want you to paraphrase because taking the information from the article and not paraphrasing or using your own words can help us learn how to paraphrase later and how to develop vocabulary.
4. Step 4: Read the conclusion to see if the author is summarize the important information or making some sort of prediction. Usually, the conclusion is a summary.
5.Step 5: Be prepared to recall. Look back over notes. Can you paraphrase the information when you talk? If there is more than one idea in a paragraph, could you clearly find it and be prepared to share that with the class? Make sure your notes are organized and readable.