Note Taking

ABBREVIATIONS & SYMBOLS FOR NOTETAKING Notetaking
"Learn 2 wrt fast b4 u go bananas!"
When you are listening to your instructor and trying to take notes at the same time, it can be a little bit
difficult to write quickly enough. Using symbols in your notes will help you write more quickly. Here are
some symbols you can use:
BASIC SYMBOLS
SYMBOL MEANING EXAMPLE
 leads to, produces, causes, makes Practice improvement.
 comes from, is the result of Success  determination.
increased, increasing, goes up, rises Taxes 200% last year.
 decreased, decreasing, lowering Salaries ¯this year.
& and coffee & cream
@ at I'll be home @ 4:00p.m.
/ per 17 miles/gallon
p page Read p 89.
pp pages Study pp 37-40.
¶ paragraph Rewrite ¶ number four.
§ section Read § 7 again.
? question Answer ? 5.
MATH SYMBOLS
+ plus, in addition, and, also He rides a bike + he skates.
- minus He was - a brain.
= equal to, is Women are = to men.
 not equal, is not Diet ice cream is to real!
~ about, approximately He's ~ 17 yrs old.
ft foot, feet He's 6 ft tall.
X times 5X the diameter of the earth.
> greater than 6>2
< less than My salary is < yours.
$ money, cost, price He left his $ at home.
% percent 12% of the employees came.
~ approximately, more or less She made ~ 25 copies.
.·. therefore I think .·. I am.
# number Please answer # 7.
no. number Please answer no. 7
#s numbers Please answer #s. 1-10
nos. numbers Please answer nos. 1-10
ht height ht 5'3
wt weight wt 150
to Time 2 go!
2 two 2 people.
too Me 2.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS & DISABILITY SERVICES, University of Redlands 909-748-8069

6/18/2015
ABBREVIATIONS & SYMBOLS FOR NOTETAKING Notetaking
INITIALS AND ABBREVIATIONS

w/ with (something) A war was fought w/ NATO aid.
w/o without They fought w/o fear.
w/i within There are problems w/i the company.
i.e. that is A Siamese, i.e. a cat, is a fun pet.
e.g. for example Professionals, e.g. doctors and lawyers, met
here.
etc. et cetera, so forth Cats, dogs, etc., make good pets.
b/c because We pay taxes b/c it's the law.
b/4 before Chicken b/4 egg?
re: regarding, about I need to see you re: the sales figures.
esp. especially Tobacco, esp. cigarettes, causes cancer.
min. minimum The min. is $400.
max. maximum The max. number of people in an elevator
is 10.
gov't. government The gov't. helped the people.
ASAP as soon as possible Finish your exam ASAP.
wrt write wrt #3 (write number 3)
rt right rt side
yr / yrs year, years She's 5 yrs old.
c. circa, about, around, from the year This picture is c. 1900
vs versus, as opposed to Purple vs green
ch chapter Read ch 8.
Q question Q: What is that?
A answer A: I don't know!
ex example Look at ex 4.
wd word 1 vocabulary wd.
wds words 25 vocabulary wds.
ref reference ref required.
diff difference What is the diff?
A few more note taking tips for you:
1. If you are in a hurry, leave out a, an, or the, and dot your i’s and cross your t’s later.
2. Always use 1, 2, 3,...instead of one, two three.
3. Abbreviate any word by leaving out the vowels.
From English-Zone Study Skills, How to Be a Good Student: http://www.english-zone.com/study/symbols.html
ACADEMIC SUCCESS & DISABILITY SERVICES, University of Redlands 909-748-8069

6/18/2015
Abbreviations For Note Taking | Note Taking
Abbreviations
List of note taking abbreviations in English from A to Z.
▪ approx.: Approximately ▪ Pm.: Afternoon

▪ b/c: Because ▪ asap: As soon as possible
▪ b/4: Before ▪ Wrt: With respect to
▪ bk.: Book ▪ =ity: Equality
▪ C: (e.g. 21C for ‘twenty-first century’) ▪ evryt: Everything
▪ c.: Approximately, roughly, about ▪ infl: Influence
(abbreviation for the Latin ‘circa’) ▪ r.: Rate (i.e. birth r.)
▪ cf.: Compared to, in comparison with ▪ devel: Development
▪ cp.: Compare ▪ expl: Explanation
▪ def.: Definition ▪ trad: Traditional
▪ diff.: Different, difference ▪ cult: Cultural
▪ ea.: Each ▪ instit: Institution
▪ e.g.: For example ▪ justific: Justification
▪ fr.: From ▪ nt: Nothing
▪ etc.: And so on ▪ lrg: Large
▪ i.e.: That is, that means, in other words ▪ soc.: Social or society
▪ impt.: Important ▪ Stats: Statistics
▪ NB: Important, notice this, note well ▪ Am’t: Amount
▪ nec.: Necessary ▪ educat’l: Educational
▪ re.: Regarding, about ▪ subj: Subject
▪ sim.: Similar ▪ cons: Conservative
▪ s/t: Something ▪ ind: Individual
▪ T.: Theory, theoretical ▪ ckg: Checking
▪ tho’: Though ▪ estg: Establishing
▪ thro’: Through ▪ Expting: Experimenting
▪ w/: With ▪ bkgd: Background
▪ w/o: Without ▪ ppd: Prepared
▪ viz.: Namely, that is to say ▪ prblm: Problem
▪ v.: Very ▪ C19: Nineteenth century; similarly C20
▪ vv.: Extremely etc.
▪ vs.: Against ▪ 1920s: i.e. 1920-1929; similarly 1970s
▪ ppl: People etc.
▪ res: Research ▪ Ltd: Limited
▪ natl: National ▪ max.: Maximum
▪ eqn: Equation ▪ min.: Minimum
▪ ed: Education ▪ G.B.: Great Britain
▪ dep: Department ▪ U.K: United Kingdom
▪ esp: Especially ▪ Eng.: English
▪ ustand: Understand ▪ Brit.: British
▪ Am.: Morning ▪ Sts: Students
Symbols For Speedy Note Taking | Note Taking
Symbols
List of note taking symbols in English from A to Z.
▪ 2: To, two, too ▪ → : Leads on to, produces, causes

▪ 4: For ▪ x : No, not, incorrect
▪ 8: Anything ending in ‘ate’ ▪ xx : Definitely not, disproved
▪ +: And, also, as well as, in addition to, ▪ ? : Uncertain, possibly, unproven,
plus question
▪ – : Minus, without ▪ ✓ : Yes, correct
▪ ≠: Does not equal, is not the same as, ▪ ✓✓: Definitely, certain, proven
does not result in ▪ # : Number
▪ ≈: Is approximately equal to, is similar ▪ ✳ : Special, important, notable (when
to added to a word or phrase)
▪ =: Equals, is the same as, results in ▪ / : Per (e.g., £50/day instead of ‘fifty
▪ >: Is greater than, is larger than pounds per day’)
▪ ↑: Increase, rise, growth ▪ ! : Not, isn’t
▪ <: Is less than, is smaller than ▪ @: At
▪ ↑↑: Rapid increase ▪ ∝: Proportional to
▪ ↓ : Decrease, fall, shrinkage ▪ Δ : Change
▪ ↓↓: Rapid decrease ▪ ♀️: Female or women
▪ ∴ : Therefore, thus ▪ ♂️: Male or men
▪ ∵ : Because ▪ … : Means space in quote
Specific Historical Terms

▪ 19thC or 19C: 19th Century ▪ Prus: Prussian
▪ WWI: World War I ▪ US: United States or American
▪ WWII: World War II ▪ Brit or GB: Great British or Britain
▪ Indust. Rev.: Industrial Revolution ▪ Eng.: English or England
▪ Fren. Rev.: French Revolution ▪ Germ.: German
▪ Rus. Rev.: Russian Revolution ▪ Fr.: French, France
▪ Nat Soc or Nazism: National
Socialism
Less Frequently Used Abbreviations For Note Taking

▪ A: Answer ▪ bot.: Botanical, botany
▪ adm.: Administration ▪ cap.: Capital, capitalise
▪ adj.: Adjective, adjourned, adjustment ▪ chap.: Chapter
▪ abr.: Abridged ▪ chem.: Chemical
▪ abbr.: Abbreviation, abbreviated ▪ co.: Company
▪ acad.: Academic, academy ▪ colloq.: Colloquial, colloquialism
▪ aka.: Also known as ▪ conf.: Conference, confer
▪ app.: Appendix ▪ cont.: Containing, content, continental,
▪ assoc.: Association continue, continued
▪ biol.: Biology ▪ com.: Commercial, commission,
▪ bibliog.: Bibliography common, communication, community
▪ cr.: Credit ▪ p. / pp.: Page / pages
▪ crit.: Criticism ▪ para.: Paragraph
▪ diag.: Diagram ▪ poss.: Possible, possibly
▪ disc.: Discovered ▪ prin.: Principal
▪ dist.: Distinguished ▪ prob.: Problem, probable, probably
▪ div.: Dividend, division ▪ probs: Problems
▪ distr.: Distribution, distributed ▪ prob.: Produced by, producer,
▪ econ.: Economics, economy production
▪ esp.: Especially ▪ pt./pts.: Part, point / parts, pts
▪ est.: Established, estimate ▪ Q.: Question
▪ ex.: Examined, example ▪ ref.: Refer, reference
▪ excl.: Excluding ▪ reg.: Region, registered, regular,
▪ f.: Feminine, feminism, frequency regulation
▪ gen.: Gender, general ▪ rev.: Review, revision
▪ govt.: Government ▪ sci.: Science, scientific
▪ hist.: Historian, historical, history ▪ sect.: Section
▪ illus.: Illustrated ▪ sp.: Special, species, specific
▪ inc.: Including ▪ st.: Study, student
▪ info.: Information ▪ univ.: Universal, university
▪ lang.: Language ▪ usu.: Usually
▪ m.: Male ▪ vers.: Version
▪ orig.: Original, originated ▪ yr.: Year
▪
Helpful abbreviations for
Others’ work
speedy note-taking
On this sheet are listed a number of common abbreviations that may be helpful when note-taking,
especially from lectures. Two common abbreviating techniques that can be applied to almost any
word are also explained.
You should remember, however, that you can and should also invent and use your own
abbreviations, especially for words or phrases that occur frequently in your subject area. The key to
success in using your own abbreviations is not to invent too many and, more importantly, to use them
consistently.
Common symbols used in note-taking
& or + and, plus, with (this symbol, the ampersand, is rather difficult to draw
freehand – many people use a simple squiggle ( ) to represent ‘and’)
– minus, without
= equals, is the same as, results in
≠ does not equal, is not the same as, does not result in
≈ is approximately equal to, is similar to
< is less than, is smaller than
> is greater than, is larger than
↑ increase, rise, growth
↑↑ rapid increase
↓ decrease, fall, shrinkage
↓↓ rapid decrease
⇒ or ∴ therefore, thus
→ leads on to, produces, causes
x no, not, incorrect
xx definitely not, disproved
? uncertain, possibly, unproven
✓ yes, correct
✓✓ definitely, certain, proven
# number
✳ special, important, notable (when added to a word or phrase)
/ per – for example, £50/day instead of ‘fifty pounds per day’
Some common general abbreviations
c. approximately, roughly, about (abbreviation for the Latin ‘circa’)

e.g. for example
i.e. in other words (usually used when adding more detail or an explanation)
cf. compared to, by comparison with
w/ with
w/o without
v. very
vv. extremely
C century (e.g. C19 for ‘nineteenth century’)
etc. and so on
K or k a thousand (e.g. 500K for ‘five hundred thousand’)
m a million (e.g. $6m for ‘six million dollars’)
vs. against
Two abbreviation techniques
1
Use the first few letters of the word – just enough to remember what the abbreviation
stands for e.g. imp for ‘important’
info for ‘information’
eval for ‘evaluation’
2
Remove all (or most of) the vowels from the word and use just the key consonants
bunched together e.g. mngmt for ‘management’
mkt for ‘market’ (and mkting for ‘marketing’)
dvpt for ‘development’
An example of the use of symbols and abbreviations to take efficient notes
Imagine you heard the following in a lecture:
The United Kingdom’s population, at around sixty million, is similar to that of Italy, but Italy’s
population is now shrinking because its birth rate has fallen below its death rate. The UK’s
population is still growing, albeit very slowly – at a rate of 0.09% between 1995 and 2000.
Your notes on this part of the lecture might look like this:
UK pop c60m ≈ I. BUT I. ↓ due BR < DR – cf. UK ↑ slow ie 0.09% 95 – 2K
DCQE
Martin Hampton
e-mail: [email protected]
www.port.ac.uk/ask
Department for Curriculum
09/15 and Quality Enhancement
Note-taking Abbreviations
Writing Centre Learning Guide
Note-taking needs to be concise. You do not need to write down everything word
for word. Using symbols and abbreviations when you take notes can allow you to
take more accurate notes more quickly.
Why make notes?

In lectures, note taking helps you to concentrate on what the lecturer is saying and provides you
with a summary. Taking your own notes will promote a deeper understanding of the content of the
lecture. You can also take notes from a written source which will help you in writing an essay. You
can include notes showing your own thoughts about a written source or a lecture to ascertain how
you are going to use the information in your essay. For more information on good note-taking skills,
see the Writing Centre learning guide Making Notes.
Using abbreviations
When taking notes, you can reduce the amount of language by shortening words and sentences.
Some ways of abbreviating are:
 leaving out most articles and conjunctions (the, a, and, but)
 shorten words by leaving out vowels or other letters (also known as “word truncation”)
 using abbreviations and symbols for commonly used words and phrases
It is important to remember that you will need to know what the abbreviations and symbols stand
for when you review your notes later. Here are some strategies for making this more likely:
 Use only abbreviations and symbols that fit your needs and that you will remember easily.
Too many can make your notes difficult to understand.
 Be consistent, so that the same symbol or abbreviation always means the same thing.
Otherwise your notes may become ambiguous.
 Keep a separate list of your abbreviations and their meanings so that you can refer to them
if you need to in the future. If you start using a new abbreviation, add it to the list.
Some other helpful hints for note-taking are:

 Use special symbols or colouring to mark structure. For example, you may use blue for the
title of a section and green for examples.
 Use special symbols for when you were not able to write down important information, so
that you can fill in the details later. For example, putting a long dash --------- to indicate
missing information.
 Develop new symbols specific to your course content. For example, in a literature course,
you could place the first few letters of a character’s name in a box to refer to this character.
WRITING CENTRE ph +61 8 8313 3021

Level 3 East, Hub Central [email protected]
North Terrace campus, The University of Adelaide www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/
Examples of word truncations
ppl people
res research
natl national
eqn equation
ed education
gov government
dep department
esp especially
ustand understand
Common symbols and abbreviations
∵ because
∴ therefore OR consequently
+ & and OR plus
? question OR doubt OR possibility
> greater than
< less than
# no. number
$ dollars OR money OR cost
∆ change
 per OR each
 increase OR improvement
 leads to OR causes
 decrease OR deterioration
 linked OR interrelated OR connected
↛ does not lead to
= equal OR the same as
~ approximately OR around OR similar to
 not equal OR not the same as
X strikethrough not
 varies with OR related to
 etc. OR missing words
etc. etcetera; and so on
et al. and the other authors
eg for example
ie that is
2
NB * note well OR remember this
♂/♀ male / female
§ section
¶ para paragraph
p. / pp. page / pages
c with / about (circa)
w/o ̅ without
1st / 2nd / 3rd / 4th first / second / third / fourth
@ at
cf. compare to
am morning
pm afternoon
viz namely
asap as soon as possible
wrt with respect to
Other useful resources

Websites
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/notes.html
http://tutorials.istudy.psu.edu/notetaking/
Printables
http://www.sfu.ca/content/dam/sfu/computing/Undergraduate_students/AEP-files/NoteTaking.pdf
www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/content/1_StudySkills/study_pdf/notetaking_lecture.pdf
www.sl.psu.edu/Documents/Note_Taking_Strategies.pdf
See also the Writing Centre learning guide Making Notes.
© The University of Adelaide 2014
3
Quick Guide to Referencing
University students are expected to read widely to gain knowledge and construct
informed opinions about their subject areas. You must acknowledge all the sources
you use in a process called ‘referencing’. Depending on the referencing technique,
external sources are usually given twice: (1) in the body of your work in the form of
in-text referencing; and (2) at the end of your work in the form of a compiled
reference list.
Which reference system to use?

There are many referencing systems and they differ in two main ways: (1) in the format of the
references; and (2) in the location of the references.
Consult your course coordinator or course guide and establish which referencing system to use
when you have been given an assessment task.
Why do I need to reference?

Different faculties, departments and even lecturers will have their preferences about how you
should reference. While different lecturers may not agree on what type of referencing system you
should use, they do agree that acknowledging sources is vital and that consistency in the
referencing format you adopt is essential.
Referencing has several functions:

 to acknowledge the source of a quotation/ idea/ figure/ diagram etc.
 to demonstrate that you are building on previous research
 to provide details so the reader can verify the sources used
 to show that you are well-informed and that your writing is trustworthy
 to support a claim being made
 so other writers can find background material to use in their own writing
 so the reader can check that you have not misrepresented what the author wrote
 so the reader can find additional background information from the same source.

How do I know when to reference sources?
When expressing ideas or concepts in your work you need to ask yourself the following questions
to guide you to reference your originating sources appropriately.
Q1. Are the words your own or someone else's words:

someone else's? provide an in-text citation and add full
details of the work to your reference list.
your own words: go to Q2.
Q2. Is this idea common knowledge? common knowledge:

you do not need to reference it.
NOT common knowledge: go to Q3.
Q3. Did you think of this yourself or you thought of it:

are you re-stating (paraphrasing) you do not need to reference it.
someone else's idea?
someone else's idea:

provide an in-text citation and add full
details of the work to your reference list.
You need to reference sources when You need to reference sources when you
you obtain information from any works, borrow or adapt material from other people,
such as: such as:
Biographies Books Charts Data

Conferences Dictionaries Designs Diagrams
Documentaries Emails Figures Graphs
Encyclopedias Guides Ideas Images
Handbooks Journals Lectures Methods
Magazines Movies Photographs Presentations
Newspapers Recordings Recordings Speeches
Textbooks Websites Tables Theories
Tutorials Videos
How do I integrate sources into my writing?

When you remove something from another source, you are taking it out of its original context and
putting it into a new context. You must ensure that it fits properly into the new context i.e. your own
assignment. The material from other sources must:
 be relevant to your argument
 join cohesively with the information before and after
 make logical and grammatical sense.
2
When should I use quotations or paraphrase the information?
Quotations should be reserved for those occasions when a writer uses an unusual word or phrase,
or expresses an idea in a particularly interesting way. Shorter quotations are better than long
quotations, but you should try to use any quotations sparingly. If you are quoting, always use the
original writer’s exact words. If you want to change them, you can do this by using square brackets
[ ] or ellipsis (…). For example, if the original reads ‘Chocolate is good for everyone and essential
for our mental wellbeing’, you could add information: ‘Chocolate is good for everyone and essential
for our mental [and emotional] wellbeing’; or you could omit some words: ‘Chocolate is . . .
essential for our mental wellbeing’.
In most other cases, you should aim to paraphrase or, better still, use your own words. Whether
you choose to use a direct quotation or to paraphrase, you will still need to reference the work.
When and how do I cite page numbers?

Page numbers should be used whenever you quote directly, whether it be words, ideas, facts,
charts, designs, tables or figures.
In some referencing styles, such as Harvard, page numbers should also be provided for
paraphrases. (This requirement can vary according to your department, so always check with your
lecturer.) The following examples illustrate the use of page numbers in Harvard referencing style.
Note the use of p. for one page and pp. for more than one page.
 One page (Smith 2009, p. 4)
 Pages in sequence (Smith 2009, pp. 25–26)
 Pages not in sequence (Smith 2009, pp. 1, 4 & 6)
 Pages from a website (Smith 2009)
What if a book was published several times with different dates?

Use the publication date of the book you used, because your edition may contain information which
is different to another edition. If a book has been reprinted several times, use the date given in the
copyright information. Reprinting does not mean the book has changed; reprinting a book is not the
same as publishing it in a new edition.
What is the difference between a reference list and a bibliography?

A reference list includes only those sources which are referred to in the text. The names in the text
and the reference list should match. A bibliography gives extra sources which the reader may find
helpful. Some lecturers use the terms ‘reference list’ and ‘bibliography’ interchangeably, so check
which they mean.
What is EndNote™?
It is necessary to make an accurate record of the resources that you find and use for an
assignment. One of the best ways to do this is to use the EndNote™ package which is available to
staff and students of the University of Adelaide. EndNote™ is a software system for storing and
managing bibliographic references. It allows you to add or easily import references from databases
into your own EndNote™ file, to sort and search them, and to incorporate references automatically
into papers you write using Microsoft Word.
For more information on EndNote™ refer to:

http://libguides.adelaide.edu.au/endnote
3
University of Adelaide Referencing Guides
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/referencing_guides/
Other useful resources

University of Adelaide Library Information on Referencing
http://libguides.adelaide.edu.au/content.php?pid=293787&sid=2412269
General Guides - Referencing
http://www.library.uq.edu.au/help/referencing-style-guides
http://libraryguides.griffith.edu.au/referencing
http://libguides.mq.edu.au/Referencing
Harvard Referencing
http://www.cqu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/14032/Harvard_Referencing_2014.pdf
http://www.library.uq.edu.au/training/citation/harvard_6.pdf
http://www.unisa.edu.au/ltu/students/study/referencing/harvard.pdf
APA Referencing
http://owll.massey.ac.nz/referencing/apa-interactive.php
http://ecu.au.libguides.com/referencing
http://ssw.unc.edu/files/web/pdf/APA_Quick_Reference_Guide.pdf
http://www.calstatela.edu/library/guides/3apa.pdf
http://www.ecu.edu.au/centres/library-services/workshops-and-training/referencing/related-
content/downloads/refguide.pdf (copy link into browser if it does not open on click)
Chicago Referencing
http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html
http://libguides.library.curtin.edu.au/content.php?pid=141214&sid=1604439
4
Source Credibility
When you are writing assignments at university, you will need to include references
to information you have read. Because there is often a large amount of information
to choose from, you need to learn to choose your sources wisely. The sources you
choose should not only be relevant, but also credible, which means trustworthy or
reliable.
Introduction
At university, it is not enough to formulate your own opinion on a topic. Instead you are expected to
understand the literature available in your field and to form your own critical opinion in response to
the ideas of others. This means that you are expected to read many sources and refer to those
sources in your writing.
The most common academic sources are journal articles, conference papers and books. However,
a variety of other sources may also be relevant to your discipline, such as websites, reports,
brochures, films and television or radio programs.
When you write an assignment, you create an argument for your point of view, giving evidence for
that view. The evidence that you give will come from the sources you have read. Hence, the quality
of your argument will partly depend on the quality of your sources.
If you use a source that is not accurate or well-informed, you do not look like a good student. Your
lecturers may suspect that you used the first sources you found and will assume that you do not
have a good understanding of ideas related to your topic.
Choosing good sources means paying attention to who wrote the information, why and how they
wrote it. To help you select the most credible sources, thereby improving the quality of your work,
ask yourself the following questions when faced with print and electronic source materials.
Ask yourself these questions when evaluating print sources:

 Is the author reputable e.g. university-based or from a research institution?
 Does the reference list or bibliography appear comprehensive in its coverage?
 Does the author present relevant background/context information?
 Is the research methodology carefully presented to the reader?
 Is the information presented still valid and applicable today?

Ask yourself these questions when evaluating electronic sources:
 Does your lecturer/tutor recommend the site?
 Who is responsible for the site? Is it associated with a respected organisation or institution?
 Is the organisation responsible for the site clearly identified (e.g. with an official logo) and
are contact details provided? Is there obvious bias in the site?
 Does the source use correct grammar and spelling?
 Was the site recently updated?
Primary vs Secondary sources

Before you can begin to conduct any form of academic work, you need to consider whether it is
appropriate to use: (1) primary sources or (2) secondary sources. The division between primary
and secondary sources is not always apparent, but the differences discussed below are important
to keep in mind as you consider the credibility of source material you use to sustain your position.
Primary sources
Primary sources are usually the original or ‘raw’ research, i.e. the materials that researchers have
personally gathered and analysed in their work. Examples include:
 experiments conducted by scientists
 data from surveys, questionnaires, interviews, or observations
 original ideas expressed in sources such as government reports, speeches, or fiction
(useful for topics in English, humanities and the social sciences).
Primary sources in the University of Adelaide Library collection are identified in the 'subjects'
heading of the online record by the word 'Sources'.
To search for them directly, use the 'Advanced Search' feature on the Library website: select
'Books' for the Material Type and include the word 'SOURCES' in the 'in subject' box. For example,
you might type 'Indonesia History Sources'.
Secondary sources
Secondary sources are when someone writes about another person’s ideas (much like you do in
your assignments). In life generally, it is usually better to check what someone thinks by talking to
them directly rather than relying on what someone else tells you about it. The same is true with
academic sources. If you use a secondary source, you may not know whether the second writer
clearly understands or has accurately retold the ideas of someone else.
2
However, in undergraduate study it can be acceptable to use some types of secondary sources.
Examples include:
 textbooks in your discipline area
 articles or experiments in scientific journals that report the results of other researchers
 magazine or newspaper accounts of interviews, surveys or questionnaires conducted by
other researchers
 articles or reviews in books or journals about novels, speeches or government documents.
Scholarly vs Non-Scholarly sources

For academic study, it is important to consider who would be the intended readers of a source.
Broadly, sources can be divided into (1) scholarly or academic sources and (2) non-scholarly or
popular sources.
Scholarly sources
When university academics write about their research and ideas for other academics to read, we
call their writing a scholarly or academic source. Often this type of writing is published in scholarly
journals which are peer reviewed (i.e. read and approved for publication by other scholars).
Many databases of electronic sources allow you to limit your search to peer-reviewed or scholarly
journals. For example, Academic Search Premier allows you to tick a box for ‘Scholarly (Peer
Reviewed) Journals.’ Your lecturers may also use or tell you the names of respected scholarly
journals in your field or you can check if any are listed on the library resource guide for your
discipline.
Other ways to identify scholarly sources:

 they are not usually published as often as daily or weekly magazines or popular sources
 they use discipline-specific rather than everyday language
 they do not usually include commercial advertisements or excessively flashy graphics
 they are written by people who are experts in their area/s
 they include specifically detailed information that is interesting to specialists in their area/s
 they acknowledge sources in sufficient detail for you to check the information or read more
 they use an academic style of referencing (e.g. a footnote, endnote or author-date style).
Non-scholarly sources
When somebody writes some interesting ideas about a topic for anybody who might be interested
to read, and do not necessarily base those ideas on research, we call their writing a non-scholarly
or popular source. Usually this type of writing is published in magazines or periodicals that exist to
make a profit. Some examples of popular sources are Time, The Economist and National
Geographic.
Ways to identify non-scholarly sources:

 they are often not written by experts
 they are usually published weekly or monthly
 they usually give broader rather than more detailed information
 they are written in a language style that anybody could understand
 they look visually exciting with lots of colour and pictures
 they usually include advertisements
 they often do not include any references, or include only a few references in an informal
style.
3
The Internet
It is especially important to carefully consider web-based sources before using them in academic
assignments.
There will be many websites that could be relevant for any topic you may have to write about at
university. However, it is not always easy to determine whether the information they contain is
trustworthy. In general, it is best not to trust information you find on the World Wide Web until you
can determine who wrote it.
Consider the following internet ‘domain names’.

Government .gov Commercial .com
Education .edu Organisation .org
Academic .ac Network .net
The domains .gov, .edu and .ac can only be registered by government and educational institutions.
For this reason, they reflect a higher order of authority than .com, .org or .net sites.
Wikipedia
Wikipedia has a wide range of information that can be useful to read when you are first trying to
understand a topic. Wiki pages sometimes also have references or links to further information that
could be useful for your assignments.
However, Wikipedia was designed to be a collaborative and constantly developing encyclopedia.

Any person can write a new wiki page and any person can edit or change any existing wiki page.
Because of this, information from Wikipedia is not considered acceptable in academic
assignments.
However, if you take the time to read the sources listed in the references section of a Wikipedia
page, these sources themselves may be acceptable if you reference them directly.
Useful resources
General
http://www.brad.ac.uk/developme/developingskills/literature_reviews/index13.php
http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill26.htm
http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/markport/best/evaluate.htm
Internet credibility
http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/web-eval-sites.htm
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/02/
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/553/01/
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html
4
College Note Taking
Another Academic Success Key!
Not to be used or distributed without

permission from the ARC.
Rules of the Brain – Incoming
Information
 Builds on Prior Knowledge
 Seeks Patterns
 Seeks Meaning
 Seeks to Condense
 Seeks to Order/Organize
Indicates you must DO (active learning)

something with your notes – NOT just
read over them (passive learning)
Note Taking – Why?
 Promotes Active Listening

 Provides Accurate Record of Info
 Makes You Restructure Information
 Interpret (give meaning)
 Condense
 Organize
 Provides Repetition
Forgetting Curve:
0
How much you forget if you don’t organize and
10
review lecture notes
Percent forgotten
20
30
40
50
60 ~ 60% forgotten after only 9 hours

70
80
90
100
1 9 48 1 1
hour hours hours week month
Time since review of information

Forgetting Curve:
0 How much you forget if you don’t organize and review
10
Percent forgotten
20
30
40
50
60
After 2 days: ~75% of information gone
70
80
90
100
1 9 48 1 1
Time since review of information

0
10
Forgetting Curve
20
0 organize & = 0 understand = 0 remember
30 review
40
50
60
70
80 Note taking must be active and ongoing.

90
100
1 9 48 1 1
Characteristics of Good Notes
 Good Notes:
 Are Organized
 Distinguish Main Points from Details
 Include Examples
 Indicate Lecture Patterns
 Allow for Self-Testing
 Stand the Test of Time
 Use Abbreviations
Note-taking Systems/Formats
 All should include

 Course Name
 Date
 Section for Notes
 Section Summary
 Section for Self-Test (such as Cue Column or
Predict Test Questions Section)
Note Taking Systems
 Cornell Method
Key Terms
or
Predict Test Take Notes
Questions Here
or
Equations
2-3 Sentence
Summary
Split-Page
Professor’s Notes Your Notes Self-

testing
(such as PowerPoint
handouts or course-
reader notes)
Method Three: Discussion
Columns
Prof’s Student
Question
Comments Comments
Method Four: T-Method
Your Notes
Summary Questions
Make Note Taking Work for
Your Brain
B
E
D A
U F
F R T
O I E
R N R
E G
STEP 1: Before lecture
Format your paper
After: Record lecture with as
take notes here
write key much detail as possible.
points
~ 2 inches.
Keep this column empty as you
take notes. Before next class,
reduce to key points & test
questions.
summarize notes here Sum up each lecture in a few

paragraphs.
Step 2: During lecture
Organize, shortcuts, abbreviations
HEP 2500 Oct. 1, Fri. 15

Hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver
5 infectious forms: A,B,C,D,E !!know symptoms for test
**BCD can become chronic. Leads to

-cirrhosis of liver
-liver cancer
Noninfectious forms. Caused by toxic substances: alcohol, OD acetam.

(Tylenol)
1) A: not chronic. Transmitted by h2O contaminated by feces or

infected person or by food. Vaccine = Y. Only A or A/B vaccine
symptoms: sometimes none. Flu-like. Nausea, fever, fatigue, abd.

pain. Most people recover 100%. Lifelong immunity. Hi risk in
certain countries.
2) B: 5% of people have it chronically. Transmitted by blood, other

body fluids (sex, needles). Also mom to fetus. Vaccine=Y. B or A/B
symptoms: same as A. 40% no symptoms. Health workers increased

risk. Causes cirrhosis or liver cancer sometimes.
3) C: 85% = chronic. Thru blood, needles (before ‘92 thru

transfusions). Also mom > fetus. No vaccination available.
After lecture HEP 2500 Oct. 1, Fri.
15
Write in key points and Hepatitis
create questions Inflammation of the liver
Def. of hepatitis 5 infectious forms: A,B,C,D,E

5 infectious types
What are they?
-cirrhosis of liver
Which types become chronic? -liver cancer
What two diseases are caused Noninfectious forms. Caused by toxic substances: alcohol, OD acetam.
by chronic hepatitis? (Tylenol)

“A” transmitted by contaminated
water, food, or infected person.
Which vaccine?
symptoms: sometimes none. Flu-like. Nausea, fever, fatigue,
abdominal pain. Most people recover 100%. Lifelong immunity. Hi
What are symptoms of Type A?
risk in certain countries.
How are symptoms of A and
B the same? Different? 2) B: 5% of people have it chronically. Transmitted by blood, other
Which type are health workers symptoms: same as A. 40% no symptoms. Health workers increased
most at risk for? risk. Causes cirrhosis or liver cancer sometimes.
Which types can a mother 3) C: 85% = chronic. Thru blood, needles (before ‘92 thru
pass on to a fetus? transfusions). Also mom > fetus. No vaccination available.
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver and there are five infectious types – A, B, C, D, E. B,C,D can become
chronic and result in cirrhosis or liver cancer. A is transmitted through contaminated water, food, or other
infected person. B & C are transmitted through blood or other body fluids as well as from mom to fetus.
A& B have vaccines, but C does not. Type C has the highest percentage of becoming chronic.
HEP 2500 Oct. 1, Fri.
15
Hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver
5 infectious forms: A,B,C,D,E

-cirrhosis of liver
-liver cancer
Noninfectious forms. Caused by toxic substances: alcohol, OD acetam.

(Tylenol)

symptoms: sometimes none. Flu-like. Nausea, fever, fatigue,

abdominal pain. Most people recover 100%. Lifelong immunity. Hi
risk in certain countries.
2) B: 5% of people have it chronically. Transmitted by blood, other


risk. Causes cirrhosis or liver cancer sometimes.
After lecture 3) C: 85% = chronic. Thru blood, needles (before ‘92 thru
transfusions). Also mom > fetus. No vaccination available.
Summary Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver and there are five infectious types – A, B, C, D, E.
B,C,D can become chronic and result in cirrhosis or liver cancer. A is transmitted through contaminated
water, food, or other infected person. B & C are transmitted through blood or other body fluids as well as
from mom to fetus. A& B have vaccines, but C does not. Type C has the highest percentage of becoming
chronic.
HEP 2500 Oct. 1, Fri. 15
Hepatitis
Def. of hepatitis Inflammation of the liver
5 infectious types: What are
they? 5 infectious forms: A,B,C,D,E
Which types become chronic? **BCD can become chronic. Leads to

-cirrhosis of liver
What two diseases are caused -liver cancer
by chronic hepatitis?
Noninfectious forms. Caused by toxic substances: alchol, OD acetam. (Tylenol)
A transmitted by what? 1) A: not chronic. Transmitted by h2O contaminated by feces or infected person or
by food. Vaccine = Yes. Only A or A/B vaccine
Which vaccine for A?
symptoms: sometimes none. Flu-like. Nausea, fever, fatigue, abdominal pain.
How are symptoms of A and Most people recover 100%. Lifelong immunity. High risk in certain countries.
B the same? Different?
What are symptoms of Type A? 2)B: 5% of people have it chronically. Transmitted by blood, other body fluids
(sex, needles). Also mom to fetus. Vaccine=yes. B or A/B
Which type are health workers symptoms: same as A. 40% no symptoms. Health workers increased risk. Causes
most at risk for? cirrhosis or liver cancer sometimes.
Which types can a mother 3) C: 85% = chronic. Through blood or needles (before ‘92 thru transfusions).
pass Also mom > fetus. No vaccination available.
it on to a fetus?
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver and there are five infectious types – A, B, C, D, E. B,C,D can become chronic and
result in cirrhosis or liver cancer. A is transmitted through contaminated water, food, or other infected person. B & C are
transmitted through blood or other body fluids as well as from mom to fetus. A& B have vaccines, but C does not. Type C
has the highest percentage of becoming chronic.
HEP 2500 Oct. 1, Fri. 15
Hepatitis
Def. of hepatitis Inflammation of the liver
5 infectious types: What are
they? 5 infectious forms: A,B,C,D,E
Which types become chronic? **BCD can become chronic. Leads to

-cirrhosis of liver
What two diseases are caused -liver cancer
by chronic hepatitis?
Noninfectious forms. Caused by toxic substances: alchol, OD acetam. (Tylenol)
A transmitted by what?
1) A: not chronic. Transmitted by h2O contaminated by feces or infected person or
Which vaccine for A? by food. Vaccine = Yes. Only A or A/B vaccine
What are symptoms of Type A? symptoms: sometimes none. Flu-like. Nausea, fever, fatigue, abdominal pain.
Most people recover 100%. Lifelong immunity. High risk in certain countries.
How are symptoms of A and
B the same? Different? 2)B: 5% of people have it chronically. Transmitted by blood, other body fluids
(sex, needles). Also mom to fetus. Vaccine=yes. B or A/B
Which type are health workers symptoms: same as A. 40% no symptoms. Health workers increased risk. Causes
most at risk for? cirrhosis or liver cancer sometimes.
Which types can a mother 3) C: 85% = chronic. Through blood or needles (before ‘92 thru transfusions).
pass it on to a fetus? Also mom > fetus. No vaccination available.
Summary: Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver and there are five infectious types – A, B, C, D, E. B,C,D can become
chronic and result in cirrhosis or liver cancer. A is transmitted through contaminated water, food, or other infected person.
B & C are transmitted through blood or other body fluids as well as from mom to fetus. A& B have vaccines, but C does
not. Type C has the highest percentage of becoming chronic.
5
Order of Math 1010 Jan. 16
Operations:
Please excuse my Please Parenthesis or grouping symbols

dear aunt sally Excuse Exponents (and radicals)
My Dear Multiplication/Division left to right
Aunt Sally Addition/Subtraction left to right
Example 4: Simplify
*Multiply
*Add
*Subtract
When you do have more than one mathematical operation, you

need to use the order of operations PEMDAS
5
Order of Math 1010 Jan. 16
Operations:
Please excuse my Please Parenthesis or grouping symbols

dear aunt sally Excuse Exponents (and radicals)
My Dear Multiplication/Division left to right
Aunt Sally Addition/Subtraction left to right
Example 4: Simplify
*Multiply
*Add
*Subtract
When you do have more than one mathematical operation, you

need to use the order of operations PEMDAS
HEP 2500 Oct. 1, Fri.
Exam prep 7 steps: 15
Hepatitis
1. Read notes out loud to Inflammation of the liver
get info. fixed in
memory. 5 infectious forms: A,B,C,D,E
2. Cover your notes; leave **BCD can become chronic. Leads to

Left column uncovered. -cirrhosis of liver
-liver cancer
3. Ask yourself question or
explain concept. Noninfectious forms. Caused by toxic substances: alcohol, OD acetam.
(Tylenol)
4. Uncover notes to see
how much you 1) A: not chronic. Transmitted by h2O contaminated by feces or
remembered. infected person or by food. Vaccine = Y. Only A or A/B vaccine
5. If you knew it, go on to symptoms: sometimes none. Flu-like. Nausea, fever, fatigue,
next concept. If you abdominal pain. Most people recover 100%. Lifelong immunity. Hi
missed, review notes risk in certain countries.
again. 2) B: 5% of people have it chronically. Transmitted by blood, other
6. Check off concepts as body fluids (sex, needles). Also mom to fetus. Vaccine=Y. B or A/B
you learned them.
7. Next study session: risk. Causes cirrhosis or liver cancer sometimes.
review what you know,
3) C: 85% = chronic. Thru blood, needles (before ‘92 thru
but concentrate on what transfusions). Also mom > fetus. No vaccination available.
you don’t know.
Note taking in a lecture
Hints for good note taking

Prepare beforehand
• If reading has been set, do it!
• Re-read your previous notes and remind yourself of its content.
• Ask yourself questions like “What do I know about the topic?”, “How does it relate to what was
covered last week?”… etc
• Think about the subject of the class and what you know about it.
• Arrive on time.
• Sit near the front and collect any handouts.
Features of a lecture
Lecturers use various strategies to indicate to students what is important.
This lecture is about the
Introductions and conclusions effect of information
Beginnings and endings are vital. The lecturer outlines the important overload on the short term
memory. There will be three
points, connects them with the previous and next lectures as well as
main topics ...
the framework of the whole subject.
It is important that you arrive on time!
Repetition and elaboration

Important points are repeated or illustrated with examples.
Linking expressions
Listen for words that direct you to new and important ideas:
Linking expressions direct listeners to new and important ideas:
• Contrast words – however, but, despite, on the other hand, conversely
• Concession words – although, even though, in the light of, given that
• Addition words – also, too, in addition, furthermore
• Emphasis words – importantly, specifically, especially, obviously
• Sequencing words – firstly, secondly, next, finally
• Summary words – in conclusion, to sum up, in summary
• Illustration words – for example, to illustrate, that is
• Reason and result words – consequently, because, therefore
Voice emphasis
Important ideas, words and phrases are emphasised. This is done by saying them more slowly
and often more loudly. Gestures and movement may also be used for emphasis.
Learning Links www.rmit.edu.au/studyandlearningcentre/

Quick Tips/note taking in lectures February 2007
Abbreviations—time savers
> causes / leads to < results from + and % percent
= equals to + positive - negative cf compared
eg for example re concerning/ about NB note well vis namely
et al and others g ing ca about etc and so on
eighteenth century n tion/sion (endings) ie that is am morning

C18
Note taking in a lecture
Example
The following is a sample of a “lecture” on memory and learning.
Below the lecture notes is an example of a useful method of note taking–the Cornell method.
Long and short term memory

In order to develop effective learning skills, it is necessary to understand more about how
the memory is structured, in particular the role of short-term memory and long-term
memory. Short-term memory is the part known as the conscious mind and is used for paying
attention. Long-term memory is where information is stored. There are many things that come
into the short-term memory and are not transferred to the long-term memory (see diagram1).
In fact the brain is designed to forget between 50% and 75% of the information that is not
transferred to the long-term memory within 24 hours. Therefore, the brain carefully selects
what is stored in the long-term memory.
(Havir, A. 2003, Memory and Learning, RMIT University, Australia)
Cornell system of note taking (one way to organise note taking)

Use two columns–one, a review or key words column on the left, the note taking or details column on the
right–use point form.
Include topic and date of lecture.
Structure of memory useful to understand memory
Short term short term=pay’g attention
Long term - imp info transferred to LT memory

(occasionally you might copy useful “In fact the brain is designed to forget between 50% and 75% of the informa-
quotes) tion that is not transferred to the long term memory within 24 hours.”
Long term ST - info stored > brain selects
Learning Links www.rmit.edu.au/studyandlearningcentre/

Quick Tips/note taking in lectures February 2007
NOTE-TAKING FOR
UNIVERSITY
“Learn how to listen and you will prosper even from those who talk badly.”
- Plutarch (AD 46-120) Greek Biographer & Philosopher
Note Taking Inventory
Self Assessment Exercise:

Consider the following statements and place a check (9) beside the ones that are true.
If you have any additional comments, write them in the spaces below.
1. ____ I usually take notes, but not with much care.
2. ____ I write down as much content as possible in any lecture that I

attend.
3. ____ I seldom reread my notes after the lecture.
4. ____ My notes are never as clear as I would like them to be.
5. ____ Some lecturers are almost impossible to follow well enough to take
decent notes.
6. ____ My notes aren’t consistent.
7. ____ I don’t always know why I write down the things that I write.
8. ____ I have trouble listening while taking notes
9. ____ I find it hard to see and hear well from where I sit in the lecture
hall.
10. ____ If I concentrate on the main ideas, I find that I miss other
important facts.
11. ____ I catch myself daydreaming often in lectures that are not very
interesting.
2
Strategies for Effective Listening in Lectures
Î Adopt a Listening Posture:

Although our physical posture is important, a ‘Listening Posture’ refers to our
attitude when it comes to listening during lectures.
1. Try to find areas of interest in each lecture

• Topic may be dry, but try not to tune out
• Seize the opportunity. Ask yourself, “What’s in it for me?”
2. Try to judge the content, not the professor’s delivery
3. Listen first, shoot later

• Don’t be too quick to argue against what the professor is saying
• Critical thinking is important, but listen to what the professor is
asking and try to understand before creating an argument
• Hold back judgment until you comprehend
4. Listening is hard work – be prepared to put the effort in

• Exercise your mind – put mental energy into trying to understand
what the professor is saying
5. Keep an open mind

• Many words or phrases a professor uses can be emotionally loaded
words (ie. left-wing, right-wing, fundamentalist, Christian, abortion,
pro-life, feminist, etc.)
• Try not to get hung up and caught up with reacting to these words
Î Before the Lecture:

1. Read Ahead:
• Survey the text before the lecture in order to recognize new ideas
and vocabulary
2. Go to class intending to listen and learn:

• Take responsibility for learning from the lecture
• Avoid distracting classmates
3. Try to sit in a place where you can focus:

• Try to sit in the front where you can maintain your focus on the
instructor and see and hear as well as possible
• Your eyes won’t wander towards distractions
• Your instructor will think you are a keener
3
4. Do a quick review:
• Look at your notes from the previous class to refresh your memory
• Reviewing notes will help you to make connections with the previous
class
5. Check course outlines:

• This is a good way to keep track of the sequence of topics
6. Manage your time and energy levels:

• Try to manage your time in a way that you go to class with as much
mental energy as you can, which will aid in concentration
Î During the Lecture:

1. Listen for signals and cues:
• The professor may give cognitive clues that indicate the emerging
structure
• Words that indicate:
Examples - to illustrate, for example, for instance

Time - before, after, formerly, prior, meanwhile
Addition - furthermore, moreover, also
Cause and Effect - therefore, as a result, if…then, this, so
Contrast - on the other hand, on the contrary,
conversely
Enumeration - the following, first, firstly, next, finally
Emphasis - more importantly, above all, remember this
Repetition - in other words, that is to say, in essence
Summary - in a nutshell, to sum up, in conclusion
Test Items - this is vital, remember this, you’ll see this
again
2. Learn to separate the essential from the non-essential
3. Study the instructor:

• Watching for cues can help you decipher between main ideas and supporting
information
• Listen for verbal cues – voice, pauses, repetitions, slowing down, raising voice,
lowering voice, saying things like “I believe the following is important”
• Note non-verbal cues – Not important = gazing out the window
- Important = writing on the overhead, eye contact,
dramatic gestures
- Be careful: non-verbal cues can be ambiguous
4
4. Watch for Emphasis:
• Emphasized words and concepts are likely to appear on the exam
5. Listen for Ideas:

• Good listeners listen for the central themes and concepts; don’t get hung up
on facts
6. Fight to avoid distractions
7. Record examples:
• Write down all examples or statistics the professor writes down; they are
there for a reason
8. Pay attention to organization:

• Pay attention to the way the instructor has organized the material
• If it is not well structured try to organize it yourself
9. Be aware of your general knowledge:

• Try to associate your general knowledge of the topic with this new
information to give it more meaning and enhance memory
10. Ask for clarification:

• If you don’t understand a point, ask!
• Get over the intimidation and fear of what people will think about your
questions; many probably have the same question you do
• Remember, you are paying a lot for this education! Get your money’s worth!
11. Pay attention:

• Be aware that by the middle of the lecture your attention may lapse
12. Try to avoid writing things down that you already know
13. Thought is faster than speech:

• Some professors speak very slowly, so use the time wisely
Challenge what is being said
Anticipate where the professor is going next
Mentally summarize what was just said
Weight the evidence
Apply what has been said
Connect what was said with something you already know
5
Discerning What is Important to Record in Your Notes
Lectures can be overwhelming and result in cases of ‘Information Overload’,

making note-taking an almost impossible task. By identifying the purpose of
the lecture, nature of exams and studying the professor, distinguishing the
important points from the supplementary information will be easier and the
task of note-taking less overwhelming.
Things to think about:

Î What is the purpose of the lectures in this course?
Discerning the purpose of the lectures will influence your approach to note taking.
• Lectures can be the main source of information on which the exam
will be based
• Lectures can be to highlight/elaborate on the text
• Lectures can be to elaborate on printed notes that your professor
has handed out or posted online
• Lectures can be a discussion on readings you were to do before class
Î What will be the relationship between the lectures and the exam?
Will the exam cover the lectures or not? If so, organized note taking is crucial.
Î What will be the nature of the exam?

Knowing the nature of the exam will influence what you record in your notes, and
your notes should set you up for your exam prep review.
• Multiple Choice – you may need a fair amount of details
• Short Answer – you may be required to provide definitions
• Essay – you will need to have main points, themes and be able to
relate them to other material
Î Check the course outline

There may be clues as to what is important; learning objectives should be recorded.
Î The first lecture is key

This lecture may hint to what is most important in the course.
Î Listen for the TAC of the lecture

Listening for the TAC can help you discern what is most important to record and will
provide some organization for your notes
• Thesis – the central point; everything is aimed at proving this idea
• Arguments – taken together, these arguments prove the thesis
• Conclusion - summarizes the entire argument and may suggest new
avenues for enquiry
6
Î Take notes on what you don’t know
Record the information and concepts that are new and unfamiliar. You may decide
you don’t need to write down what you are already familiar with which can save time.
Î Repetition of topic or points

Repetition can indicate that something is very important and worth noting.
Î Study the instructor

Signals from the instructor will help you to discern between main ideas and
supporting information.
• Listen for verbal cues
• Note non-verbal cues
Î Watch for emphasized words and concepts

These emphasized points will likely be on the exam.
Î Try to record key terms

Get down brief definitions and explanations of key terms for later review (people,
places, dates, theories, and concepts)
Î Using illustrations or examples to explain a point

If the professor is taking great effort to make sure you understand something by
illustrating and giving examples, it may suggest that the point in question is critical.
Î The amount of time spent on a point may suggest it is important
Î Changing the style of the presentation

Moving from lecture to discussion or questions may suggest the point is important.
Î Ask a previous student

Students who have had your professor before will likely know how to tell when the
professor is saying something important.
Î Pay attention to the beginning and end of a lecture

Professors will often make key points, either as review or wrap-up.
7
Helpful Abbreviations
Some helpful time-saving abbreviations that would be useful in lectures:
Symbols:
•
• • Therefore ! Important point
b/c Because !! Very Important Point
Ç Increase * May be on exam
È Decrease ** Will be on Exam
= Equal ? May not understand
Æ Is related to ?? Definitely do not understand
+ And, in addition to X I disagree
vs Compares to, verses ≈ Approximately
» As a result of w/ With
w/b Will be w/i Within
ff Following w/o Without
Change wh/ Which
& And cf Compare
... And so on < Less than
b/w Between > Greater than
@ At ≠ Does not equal
s/b Should be ◦ Degree
c/b Could be - Negative
B4 Before + Positive
8
Short Abbreviations:
Definition = def. Especially = esp. Example = eg.
That is to say = ie. Evidence = evid. Input = inp.
Point = pt. Function = fxn Reaction = rxn
Mechanism = mech. Psychology = psych Sociology = soc.
First Syllable:
Politics = pol Democracy = dem Liberal = lib
Capitalism = cap Represents = rep Contrast = con
First Syllable, Second Letter:

Subject = subj Conservative = cons Totalitarianism = tot
Individual = ind
Eliminate Final Letters:

Association = assoc Achievement = ach Biological – bio
Omit Vowels:
Background = bkgd Government = gov’t Behaviour = bhvr
Enough = enf Important = imp
ie – This was found on a New York subway –

“If u cn rd ths, u cn gt a gd jb.”
Use an Apostrophe:
Government = gov’t Amount = am’t
Use “G” to Represent “ING” Endings:

Checking = ckg Establishing = estg
Spell Short Words Fully:

In, at, to, but, for
Leave out Unimportant Words:

Adjectives, adverbs (eg. – a, the, to)
Write out Full Term Once, Then Substitute:
Ex. – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing = EMDR
9
Strategies for Effective Note Taking
• Discern the Purpose of Lectures
• Overall Organization of Notes

Use loose-leaf paper and binders as this allows you to file handouts
with the relevant lecture
Put your name, phone number and email address in your notes
Number pages and identify with a date
Write on only one side of the page; you can use the other side to add
information from the text, examples, or review questions
Leave lots of white space so that you can add comments later; your
notes will look better and will be easier to use when it comes time
for exam review
• Enhance your Learning During Note Taking

Strive to be more active in your note taking; don’t just record what
your professor is saying
- Think about what is being said
- Think about what it means
Listen for and note the ‘I’ of lectures – thesis, arguments, conclusion
• Try the Cornell Note Taking System

Steps to the Cornell Method:
Set up the page:
• Draw a 2 ½” margin on the left side of your paper
• Draw a 1-2” margin across the bottom of your paper
• The large right hand column will be for normal note taking
• The smaller left hand column will be for interacting with the
material
• The area at the bottom will be for writing a summary
y Record your notes

• Capture the professor’s ideas and facts in the 6” right hand column
10
Ways to Organize Information in Notes
Once you know what to look and listen for, and you have your page set up,
make sure your notes are organized to assist in later exam preparations.
Organize Notes
1. Try to give each lecture a title. Ask yourself, “What is this all about?”
2. Highlight headings and subheadings.
3. Try to indent information under the related heading; this helps organize related
ideas and aids memory.
4. Under headings and subheadings, list important details with bullets, numbers or
letters.
5. Make graphs and diagrams large enough to read easily. Label them well so that
they will be meaningful to you later.
6. Use alternate note structuring techniques for different kinds of material.

ie. When ideas are being compared, draw a line down the middle of the column
and collect relevant details on each side.
Fill in Gaps Later

After your lecture, find the next free time to read over your notes, fill in any gaps
and make them more legible (do this when the lecture is still fresh in your mind).
Use the Cue Column

Having and using an interactive column will make listening more active and enhance
your learning from lectures.
• Make a note of any exam hints
• Interact with the material – reflect, apply the facts and ideas
What is the significance of these facts and ideas?
What principles are they based on?
How can I apply this?
How do they fit in with what I already know?
• Write key words that represent the main points
• Listen for and note the ‘I’ of lectures (TAC)
• Record questions that summarize the material; this helps to clarify
meaning, reveal the relationships, establish continuity and aids
memory
Use the Summary Row at the Bottom

In the 1-2” margin across the bottom of your page, you can write a summary of the
notes on that page. Try to summarize in 1-2 sentences.
• A convenient ‘in a nut shell’ version of a full page of notes
• Helps you step back and look at the implications of what you wrote
11
Cornell Note-Taking Challenge
Think about the way you have conducted reviews of your notes in the past.
Respond to the following statements by circling “always”, “often”,
“sometimes”, “seldom”, or “never” after each.
• I review my notes immediately after class.
Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never
• I conduct weekly reviews of my notes.

• I make summary sheets of my notes.

• I edit my notes within 24 hours.

• Before class I conduct a brief review of the notes I took in the

previous class.
After applying the Cornell Note-Taking method for one month, evaluate how you are
reviewing your notes. Respond to the following statements by circling “always”,
“often”, “sometimes”, “seldom”, or “never” after each. CELEBRATE YOUR CHANGE!
• I review my notes immediately after class.

• I conduct weekly reviews of my notes.

• I make summary sheets of my notes.

• I edit my notes within 24 hours.

• Before class I conduct a brief review of the notes I took in the

previous class.
12
Reviewing Notes
Research indicates that we forget 60% of random information that we hear

within 24 hours. Even though lectures can be meaningful information, it is
still very likely that if you do not reread your notes promptly, you will forget
a good portion of the lecture material.
Some Strategies for Reviewing Notes:
Make a Schedule - Try to find a regular time (15-20 min) after the
lecture to go over the notes you took in class
- This should save you hours in study time later
Cornell Method of Note-Taking - Write key words/short phrases in the 2” margin
to summarize main points
- Summarize sections of the lecture with
questions in the margin to quiz yourself later
- Write a brief summary of the whole lecture at
the end of your notes
- Make up 2-3 review questions from the lecture
Note any Issues - Record any issues that you need to clarify then
follow up with the professor or TA
Personal Reflections - Add any personal reflections or expansion on the
topic in the white space of your notes
Review - Try to reread the key words every 2 weeks to
refresh your memory on course content
Study Groups - Get together with a friend or study group and
use your notes for discussion
13
Improving Your Concentration
The ability to concentrate while performing academic work is critical for

academic success. Try the following strategies for improving your focus.
Environment - Try to find a comfortable, temperate, well lit and

ventilated study environment, free of distractions
- Find a place that you use exclusively for study so that
the environment becomes associated with concentration
- Avoid studying in bed, so it is associated with sleep
Ignore Distractions - Controlling the impulse to attend to distractions will
increasingly make them less distracting
- Try not to get annoyed with distractions, that will make
them more influential
Deal With Worries - When distracted by a worry write it down, specify a
time you will deal with it and imagine yourself putting it
into a jar you can open when you need to
- Relaxation techniques, proper risk assessment, and a
specific time where you do all your worrying can help
Deal With Anxiety or - These two emotional states interfere with your ability
Depression to concentrate. A counselor may help in this situation.
Increase Your Motivation - The more motivated you are to learn, the easier it will
be to concentrate
Honour Your Body - Your mind will be more inclined to concentrate when
your body receives proper nutrition, regular exercise and
adequate sleep
Set SMART Study Goals - You’ll be inclined to concentrate when your study goals
are Specific, Measurable, Acceptable, Realistic, and
Time limited
Peak Time - Note when you study best and schedule your more
demanding or less interesting material for these times
Breaks - Regular breaks will give your mind a rest
- Gradually increase study time in between breaks
Reward Yourself - Establish a reward system for concentrated study time
- Rewards should be positive and an immediate result of
concentrated effort
Use Active Study Methods - Ask yourself questions, dialogue with your material, quiz
yourself, summarize, take sides of an argument, critique
Test Yourself - Designing a way to test your studying will encourage you
to focus on the material and enhance your learning
Self-Monitor - Keep a record of each time your mind wanders off; this
helps increase concentration and monitors improvement
14

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ABBREVIATIONS & SYMBOLS FOR NOTETAKING Notetaking

"Learn 2 wrt fast b4 u go bananas!"

ACADEMIC SUCCESS & DISABILITY SERVICES, University of Redlands 909-748-8069

INITIALS AND ABBREVIATIONS

A few more note taking tips for you:

From English-Zone Study Skills, How to Be a Good Student: http://www.english-zone.com/study/symbols.html

ACADEMIC SUCCESS & DISABILITY SERVICES, University of Redlands 909-748-8069

▪ approx.: Approximately ▪ Pm.: Afternoon

▪ 2: To, two, too ▪ → : Leads on to, produces, causes

Specific Historical Terms

Less Frequently Used Abbreviations For Note Taking

Common symbols used in note-taking

c. approximately, roughly, about (abbreviation for the Latin ‘circa’)

Two abbreviation techniques

An example of the use of symbols and abbreviations to take efficient notes

Imagine you heard the following in a lecture:

UK pop c60m ≈ I. BUT I. ↓ due BR < DR – cf. UK ↑ slow ie 0.09% 95 – 2K

Why make notes?

Some other helpful hints for note-taking are:

WRITING CENTRE ph +61 8 8313 3021

Common symbols and abbreviations

Other useful resources

© The University of Adelaide 2014

Which reference system to use?

Why do I need to reference?

Referencing has several functions:

WRITING CENTRE ph +61 8 8313 3021

Q1. Are the words your own or someone else's words:

your own words: go to Q2.

Q2. Is this idea common knowledge? common knowledge:

NOT common knowledge: go to Q3.

Q3. Did you think of this yourself or you thought of it:

someone else's idea:

Biographies Books Charts Data

How do I integrate sources into my writing?

When and how do I cite page numbers?

What if a book was published several times with different dates?

What is the difference between a reference list and a bibliography?

For more information on EndNote™ refer to:

Other useful resources

© The University of Adelaide 2014

Ask yourself these questions when evaluating print sources:

WRITING CENTRE ph +61 8 8313 3021

Primary vs Secondary sources

Scholarly vs Non-Scholarly sources

Other ways to identify scholarly sources:

Ways to identify non-scholarly sources:

Consider the following internet ‘domain names’.

However, Wikipedia was designed to be a collaborative and constantly developing encyclopedia.

© The University of Adelaide 2014

Another Academic Success Key!

Not to be used or distributed without

Indicates you must DO (active learning)

 Promotes Active Listening

60 ~ 60% forgotten after only 9 hours

Time since review of information

Time since review of information

80 Note taking must be active and ongoing.

 All should include

Professor’s Notes Your Notes Self-

summarize notes here Sum up each lecture in a few

HEP 2500 Oct. 1, Fri. 15

5 infectious forms: A,B,C,D,E !!know symptoms for test

**BCD can become chronic. Leads to