Taking notes
The four note-taking methods, the Cornell page, what deserves a note and what to leave out, common abbreviations and reviewing notes right after the session.
- 23 cards
- 3 topics
- Free
The outline, topic by topic
Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.
- Concepts
- Questions
- Sort and link
A few cards from the deck
Linear notes: what is it?
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Notes written in the order of the talk, with headings, indents and numbering that show the hierarchy of ideas.
They suit a well-built lecture, where the speaker's order is the logical order. They serve poorly in an exchange where ideas fly in all directions.
On a Cornell page, where do you write the summary, and when?
- At the bottom of the page, after the session
- At the top of the page, before the session
- In the left margin, during the session
- Beside every note, as the session goes
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At the bottom of the page, after the session
The summary is written once the session is over, in a sentence or two, when you know what was essential. The margin is for questions, and it too is filled in afterwards.
In notes, “cf.” means … and “NB” means ….
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In notes, “cf.” means compare, see and “NB” means note well.
An abbreviation helps only if you read it without hesitating: keep a short personal list and stick to it, since each one must be readable at a glance.
Cornell method: what is it?
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A page split into three zones: the session's notes on the right, a margin of questions on the left, a summary at the bottom.
Notes are taken during the session; the margin and the summary are filled in afterwards. Hiding the notes and answering the margin's questions then serves for revision.
In a project meeting, which of these sentences deserves a note?
- “Right, shall we start, is everyone here?”
- “Léa sends the test data before the 14th.”
- “The table on slide 4 repeats the figures from the handout.”
- “As I was saying earlier, the project is making progress.”
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“Léa sends the test data before the 14th.”
This sentence holds an action, an owner and a deadline: three pieces of information you will need again. The others are an opening remark, a pointer to what is already in the handout and a repetition with no new content.