Strategy - Making Notes and Summaries
Definition | Why use it? | How to | Handy Hints | Activities |
A summary is a way of abbreviating or shortening text, allowing you to get an overview of the topic.
It is the process of recording the main points of interest (key ideas) from a material for the purposes of study and learning.
The summary will reflect your own learning style.
Only about 20% of what you read contains vital information about the topic.
The other 80% is used to support or explain the main points or arguments being presented.
You can use your summary and notes as a basis for;
creating study notes
doing essays,
assignments or reports
topic or book reviews
revision for exams
A summary of key phases and ideas will help trigger your memory when you study and so will help you remember the details.
How to make summaries and notes
Your own learning style and the purpose for making the notes will determine the best way to do your summary.
1. Think about what it is you need from your notes.
2. Organise your pages
So that you can record your notes in an organised and reusable way consider using a format like something like the following examples
divide a A4 page into three columns
|
Write main points/ questions o here
4 cm wide |
Write text of summary/notes here
15 cm wide |
Your thoughts & questions raised here
2 cm wide |
Or
|
Write main points/ questions here 4 cm wide |
Write text of summary/notes here
17 cm wide |
|
|
Write your thoughts & questions raised here 2 cm high |
|
|
3. Read the section, article or item.
Look for key words like "most, very, important, significant, least, best, worst, smallest, largest or lists. These should give a signpost to what the author thinks is the key information.
4. Replay and reduce
After reading a section go over it in your head and ask yourself questions.
Once you have found the key points, write down the reasons, arguments or facts given to support the point.
This can be done as a list, table, diagram or a series of points.
Make sure you use headings and subheadings to visually layout your work so that it is easy to read.
Make your notes short and use your own words.
You will find it easier to remember your own words rather then those that you directly copy.
5.Think and reflect
Think about the notes you have written,
The heading of the section, article or chapter usually gives you as pretty good idea of what the whole section is about.
Don't try and do a very long article or chapter in one go. Break the task into smaller parts.
Use summaries to record information you find hard to remember.
Use small cards to record your summary so that you can study on the train, bus or between classes.
Make posters from your summaries that can be pinned on the walls, the back of a door, even the fridge.
number the headings, points and ideas you record so that a pattern emerges, which will be easier to remember
Activity 1 Newspaper article
Activity 2 A science section
Activity 3 English Novel Page
Activity 4 making notes from a textbook