NOTE TAKING/MAKING STRATEGY: It is powerful strategy but used by a few clever students! By Million Abebe (MA in English and B. Ed. Degree in Pedagogy): 2023

 ☞ Welcome to Our Study Techniques!

1. Basic Information

There some basic facts and also concepts/terms that must be known (about note)!
☞ Facts about note: 3
The next 3 issues are among basic facts which have been proved by countless (many, many) researches.

• Note is very essential/important for students: the importance of note has been scientifically proved!
• A number of strategies on how to prepare have been designed so far!
• Contrary to these (two), most students had problems of note taking/making.
  

☞ Some basic concepts/terms: 4

• Note taking: a process of writing notes from listening. Taking note in classroom while teachers teaching is good example.
• Note making: process of writing notes from written materials (reading). Preparing short note while you are studying is good example.
• Note summary: type of note which is prepared personally using your own or common phrases/words/abbreviations.. . See the examples given under 'techniques' below.. .
• Prose summary note: a type of note which is written using full or meaningful sentences/clauses/words...

 For examples, see all the notes in Our Special Handouts (on Yes Tutorial) or the note you are given in classroom.. .

Hubachisa/ማሳሰቢያ/Notice

☞ Toftaalee barattoonni barnoota isaaniitiin caalaatti akka milkaa'an gargaaran keessaa 'Note taking/making strategy'n isa tokko! Fallaa kanaatiin, 'note'n walqabatee, barattoonni baay'een rakkoo guddaa qaban
Kun dhimmaa saayinsiin mirkaneeyeedha! Kanaafuu, kabajamoo barattoota, barreeffama sirriitti dubbiisaa, itti fayyadamaa!
☞ 'Note taking/making strategy' ተማሪዎችን በትምህርታቸው በጣም ውጤናማ (በጥናታቸው ና ወጤታቸው) ከሚያደርጉ ስልቶች ውስጥ አንዱ ነው! በታቃራኒው በርካታ ተማሪዎች በዚህ ረገድ (ከnote በተያያዘ) በጣም ችግር አለባቸው! ይሄ እኔ ያልኩት አደለም፤ በሳይንስም/በresearches የተረጋገጠ ሀቅ ነው!
ስለዚህ ውድ ተማሪዎች ይሄን ፅሁፍ በጥንቃቄ አንብባችሁ ተጠቀሙበት!

☞ Anyone can prove these! If you like, you can get these on the next link (but I don't want students waste their time on this!)!

Different Researches and Strategies on NOTE TAKING/MAKING Strategy

2. Students' Problems: 5 Big Problems

The second key point that should be known is that most students have big problems (in relation with note). From my day-to-day experience, as teacher, I proved these.
Look the next 5 problems and identify the ones that you have.

☞ Lack of note taking/making:

• They don't take note while learning in the classroom! They sit as if they arr watching films/news on Tv.
• They don't make note while studying. They read the subjects as if they are reading fictions/newspaper...
  

☞ Incomplete note

• They don't have complete note on each topic and also sub-topics. 
• For example, missing notes on some topics and also sub-topics.

☞ Scattered notes

• Their (students) notes are scattered notes. 
• That means, they write notes on different/separated places (not on one place/exercise book)!

☞ Copy paste:
Most students' notes are NOT short and brief. 

• They use long sentences. 
• They copy or duplicate from books/exercise books to paper.

☞ Don't use notes
Many students prepared note but they didn't use their notes: they don't study the notes for exams.

3. Solutions: 5 principles

Follow all or some of the following 5 principles, to solve the above mentioned problems and make your learning better than ever.
3.1. Using note integration strategy: 3

☞ Integrating learning and studying with note: You have to take and make note both while learning (in class) and also while studying.
☞ Having complete note: You have to have complete note on each topic and sub-topic (on all the contents that need note)!All in one note:

You have to have all your notes on one exercise book/notebook!
3.2. Using different techniques: 4
You should and could use various techniques to write your note in more attractive and memorable ways.

☞ Using bullet points: listening the key points vertically. For example,

Notice: The above summary may not be clear or enough unless you read the full handout. If you like, click here: for special handout on Conditional! You can get many more on this link! 

☞ Using mind mapping techniques: This is branching concepts or linking information to show the relationship. Examples:

Notice: The above summary may not be clear or enough unless you read the full handout. If you like, you can click on: Handout on a few, a little.. ., Exam Techniques for Quantifiers  You can get many more on these links!

☞ Using textboxes: Example:

Notice: The above summary may not be clear or enough unless you read the full handout.  If you like, you can click on English Handout on No, None, not... Visit it!

☞ Using tables: Example (taken from New Grade 9 English Textbook: MoE, 2022: Ethiopia)

3.3. Focusing on key points

☞ You should not duplicate/copy the notes from book or exercise book to paper!
☞ You should be able to know/ identify main/key points and supporting points and then focus only on key points!

3.4. Using different abbreviations

☞ One of the ways to make your notes short and brief is using different abbreviations and symbols.  

☞ The abbreviations and symbols could be known or personal abbreviations and symbols.

For example... common/known abbreviations and symbols... b/n, d/t, gov't...
=, +,...
3.5. Use the note

☞ The fifth principle is that you have to use/study your note for your exam!

☞ Taking/making/preparing good note is not enough!