Note Taking 1
Note Taking Studies have shown that without review, 47% of what you learn is forgotten in 20 minutes and 62% is forgotten after 1 day. 2
Note Taking Good note taking is key to your success as a graphic designer. Designers often work within groups and with clients. Without good notes a designer can easily loose track of information that can prove vital to the success of a project. The process is so complex that you need good notes in order to keep track of it all. 3
Note Taking Good note taking improves your thinking skills. The practice of good note taking will aid in the development of your critical thinking process. It requires the knowledge, comprehension, and application of information. Higher levels of note taking require analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Notes represent your accumulated knowledge from the class and hold you accountable for your own education. 4
Note Taking Here are 5 tips for good note taking: 1. Be prepared 2. Improve listening skills 3. Consistent note taking methods 4. Pay close attention 5. Review and summarize your notes 5
Be Prepared Read the required materials before class so you can focus on taking good notes on the lecture. Keep your notes in a 3 ring binder so you can swap pages in and out of it. Use a highlighter to mark important content in your notes. 6
Improving Listening Skills Concentrate on concentrating, if you don t focus when listening your notes will lack focus. Adapt to the direction and tone of the lecture. Think about what is being taught, not just what is being said. Listening is not a passive activity. 7
Consistent Note Taking Method Develop a consistent and effective note taking method that works for you, and stick with it. Keep it brief, never use a sentence when a phrase works and never use a phrase when a word works. Leave blank space in your notes to allow you to add questions or comments in the future. Use one side of the paper for notes so you can easily move them around and make side to side comparisons. 8
Pay Close Attention Make sure to write the following information in your notes. Definitions, Examples, Repeated Information, Specific Facts, Formulas, Equations, Lists, Charts and Drawings 9
Review and Summarize your Notes The more often you review your notes the more information you will retain. Summarizing your notes will help you focus on the big ideas in them and will help you see connections across the material you covered that week. 10
Note Taking System Note Taking Note Summary Series Summary Course Summary NOTES Name NOTES SUMMARY Name SERIES SUMMARY Name COURSE SUMMARY Series 1 - Balance & Tension Week Date Series Class Section Week Date Series Class Section Series Date Class Section Topics: Readings Lectures / Discussions Topics: Readings Lectures / Discussions Tasks for the week: Demonstrations Exercises / Studies / Projects Demonstrations Exercises / Studies / Projects Monday Readings Lectures / Discussions Name Date Class Section Tuesday THINKING Wednesday Series 5 - Point, Line, Plane Series 2 - Gestalt Thursday Connections CONNECTIONS Friday Continue on back Saturday Demonstrations Exercises / Studies / Projects Series 4 - Composition & Communication Series 3 - Interval Questions Sunday MAKING Page 11
Note Taking Form NOTES Week Date Series Topics: Readings Lectures / Discussions Demonstrations Exercises / Studies / Projects Name Class Section Function: Use this form to take your notes for every series in this class. Organization: Keep a set of notes for every topic of the series. - Readings - Lecture / Discussion - Demonstration - Projects / Studies / Exercises Deliverable: You will need to have your notes with you in class to be reviewed. Page 12
Note Taking Form NOTES Name Fill out information Week Date Series Class Section Topics: Readings Lectures / Discussions Demonstrations Exercises / Studies / Projects Fill out the topic for the notes. Use this section to take notes. Use this section for visual notation. Page 13
Note Summary Form NOTES SUMMARY Week Date Series Class Section Topics: Readings Demonstrations Lectures / Discussions Exercises / Studies / Projects Name Tasks for the week: Monday Function: Use this form to summarize your notes for the week. Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Organization: Fill out a summary form for every note topic, each week. - Readings - Lecture / Discussion - Demonstration - Projects / Studies / Exercises Questions Sunday Deliverable: You will need to turn in your set of notes summaries each week. 14
Note Summary Form NOTES SUMMARY Name Fill out information Week Date Series Class Section Topics: Readings Lectures / Discussions Demonstrations Exercises / Studies / Projects Tasks for the week: Monday Fill out the topic for the notes. Tuesday Wednesday Use this section to take notes. List out your tasks for the week to help manage your time. Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Questions Note questions that you have so you can bring them up in class. 15
Series Summary Form SERIES SUMMARY Series Date Class Section Readings THINKING Connections Lectures / Discussions Name Continue on back Function: Use this form to connect the thinking and the making portions of the class per series. Organization: Order these forms by the series and date. Deliverable: You will turn this form in at the end of each series. Demonstrations Exercises / Studies / Projects MAKING 16
Series Summary Form Front SERIES SUMMARY Series Date Class Section Readings Lectures / Discussions Name Fill out information Use this section to summarize your notes on reading THINKING Use this section to summarize your notes on lectures and discussions Connections Continue on back Demonstrations Exercises / Studies / Projects MAKING Use this section to list the connections you see from the other four sections Use this section to summarize your notes on demonstrations Use this section to summarize your notes on projects, studies, and exercises 17
Series Summary Form Back Questions Keep track of you questions for the week so you can answer those questions in later studies Continuation from front Use this section for any content you couldn t fit on the first side 18
Course Summary Form COURSE SUMMARY Name Date Class Section Series 1 - Balance & Tension Function: Use this form to connect all the series in the class. Series 5 - Point, Line, Plane CONNECTIONS Series 2 - Gestalt Deliverable: You will turn this form in at the end of the course. Series 4 - Composition & Communication Series 3 - Interval 19
Course Summary Form COURSE SUMMARY Name Date Class Section Series 1 - Balance & Tension Fill out information Use this section to list the connections you see from each of the five series Series 5 - Point, Line, Plane Series 2 - Gestalt CONNECTIONS Series 4 - Composition & Communication Series 3 - Interval Use these sections to summarize your what you learned in each series 20
NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES SUMMARY NOTES SUMMARY NOTES SUMMARY NOTES SUMMARY SERIES SUMMARY COURSE SUMMARY Course Notes Topics Note Taking Note Summary Series Summary Course Summary Readings THINKING CONNECTIONS MAKING Lectures / Discussions Demonstrations Exercises / Studies / Projects 21