Case 6: Taking Notes Effectively (Illustrated)

Taking Notes Effectively
Framework Techniques Examples
Preparation
  1. Come prepared to take notes. Bring...
    • paper or cards (5-by-8-inch),
    • pencil (with eraser) or pen.
  2. Leave space for second thoughts.
  3. Attend to...
    • why you are taking notes,
    • vocabulary, new or hard words.









autism, applied behavioral analysis (ABA), Asperger's syndrome
Organization
(order)
  1. Capture the teacher's or author's order if you can.
  2. Note how subpoints relate to main points:
    • parts?
    • reasons?
    • examples?
    • uses?
  3. Scout the text for clues (heads, charts, summaries) before you read for details.
 Barrass, Table 2.1, lots of structure clues
Norton, autism article, few visible clues
(so build your own outline to reveal her structure)


Therapy examples, Norton col 1.
Content
(specifics)		 Get to the heart of the matter...keep important details but trim away trivia:
  1. Date your notes.
  2. Capture key claims:
    • Use full sentences if you can.
    • Use verb phrases at least.
  3. Record and credit quotes carefully (no plagiarism).
  4. Insert your own questions.
  5. Try for a one-sentence summary.
  6. Reread the hard parts after your first pass and try these techniques again.
 Norton claims, col. 1: 
A. helpful therapies exist
   1. applied behavioral analysis
      improves life skills
   2. speech, occupational therapy
      improve communication
   3. play therapy improves
      social connections
B. autism remains challenging...
"...insurers, educators, and policy-makers [should] do the right thing" (col. 3)

Why is autism growing?

Autism occurs 5 times more often in children today than 10 years ago, but many HMOs are unwilling and many school districts are unable to pay for treatments known to help. (31/830 = 4%)
Signals
(format)		 Make the format of your notes helpful (for later review and reuse).
  1. Use topic heads and subheads.
  2. Cluster related items into (numbered) lists.
  3. Sketch simple diagrams to show:
    • relationships,
    • physical features.
  4. Add cross references:
    • to other notes (by date),
    • to books, articles, or web sites.
  5. Try the two-column "Cornell system" (notes in a big right column, heads and comments in a small left column).
See numbered outline above.



Norton: therapies, challenges, costs 


            treatment
                |
     --------------------------
     |          |             |
insurers   schools   policy-makers
www.autism-society.org




This very chart; Levenger paper.