Penstripe Student Planner Catalogue 24-25 - Flipbook - Page 116
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STUDY SKILLS –
NOTE-TAKING STRATEGIES
Study Skills in Practice – Note-taking Strategies
Note-taking is a crucial study skill. The act itself forces you to read,
encourages you to engage with key information and, in the longer term, will
help you retain what you are learning. It will also help you to become more
independent in how you learn – the ultimate goal. Note-taking is challenging
but, when mastered, it is a skill that will stand to you throughout your
academic journey.
For all of these reasons it is important that you try to create your own notes
and not always rely on those given to you by the teacher. Here are some key
pointers to ensure effective note-taking (hand-written and electronic):
1. Don’t just copy out chunks of information without reading and thinking
about the content. Note-taking should be a selective process. Remember,
our brain is looking for shortcuts – don’t allow it to find one. Where
possible, paraphrase (put material in your own words) unless of course it
is an important direct quote. When you have to arrange information into
your own words, you have to think about the material and, when you’re
thinking, you’re making connections and learning;
2. Beware of the comfort blanket that is the highlighter (see Myth Busters);
3. Where possible, use sketches as well as words in your notes. This practice
is known as ‘dual coding’ and it is explained further below;
According to Paivio:
“the human mind operates with two distinct classes of mental
representation: verbal representations (words) and mental
images (pictures). Human memory thus comprises two interacting
systems or stores: verbal memory and image memory”.
Pictures aid the recall of
verbal material because two
separate but linked memory
traces are laid down: one
in each of the two memory
stores. The chances of
remembering and being
able to recall information is
therefore much greater when
stored in two (rather than
one) distinct systems.
Dog
+
Dog
The Practical Application
4. Generate challenging questions from your notes. These can then be used
for later retrieval/revision.
Dual coding is therefore the process of combining visual and verbal material.
By using both formats you are maximising the potential of memory.
What is dual coding and why is it important?
You might already use dual coding intuitively when creating study notes but
didn’t know the scientific name for it. If you do, good for you. But if you don’t,
then it’s time to start, especially in light of the strong evidence that it is a
highly effective study strategy.
Think about your learning and studying patterns. What formats or methods do
you think help new information to stick? Is it reading the lengthy paragraphs
in your subject textbook or is it your own handwritten notes, images and
visual cues? Maybe it’s the teacher talking, telling a story, and engaging
your emotions or perhaps more a mix of some or all of the above (as the
research attests).
Copyright © 2021 Inspire Education
Study Skills - Note-taking Strategies
Dual Coding theory was proposed first by University Professor Allan Paivio in
1971. His aim was to explain the significant effects of imagery (pictures) on
our ability to recall (or remember) information. You may need to read Paivio’s
quote a few times!
Your teacher will try a range of approaches in order to help you engage with
and understand new material, but it is often up to you to employ strategies
to help that new material to lodge in long-term memory. Dual Coding is one
such strategy.
Description
Study Skills in Practice –
Note-taking Strategies
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In practical terms, you could use a range of visual formats (images) to
combine with your verbal formats (words). For example, you could try
creating sketchnotes, mind maps or infographics, and/or use diagrams,
photos or even videos. The format might also vary depending on the subject.
For example, diagrams might work well for Biology or Geography and
sketchnotes better for History.
Overleaf we present two note-taking strategies. Whether you decide to
use one or both, we strongly encourage you to incorporate dual coding.
A short word of caution: keep notes simple and keep all images relevant,
otherwise they become a distraction and may have the unintended
consequence of overloading your memory.
Description
Study Skills –
Note-taking Strategies
Copyright © 2021 Inspire Education
STUDY SKILLS IN PRACTICE –
NOTE-TAKING STRATEGIES
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