Using Textbooks and Taking Notes

1. Using Textbooks and Taking Notes Delta College Teaching/Learning Center

2. In high school, the books don’t usually belong to the students— they can’t mark in them or keep them That’s a bad deal; students don’t learn to use their books Books are an intellectual investment Using textbooks

3. Textbooks can include • Other resources such as • CDs • Websites • Maps • Study Guides • Workbooks

4. Ok, ok, I’ll use my book . . . . . . but how do I use it? Just open it up and read, right? . . . Wrong!

5. Are you a passive reader? • Do you • Open your book to the assignment and read from beginning to end? • Believe books should never be written in? • Read over and over without getting it?

6. Be an ACTIVE Reader! • Insist on MEANING • Do something BEFORE you read. • ASSESS what you already know. • Set a PURPOSE for reading. • Be INVOLVED with the reading. • Know how to ADJUST your reading style

7. Be an ACTIVE Reader! • BEFORE you read • Preview the text • Preview the assignment • Ask questions • Predict the contents • Have a reason for reading

8. Preview the whole book • Check title and author • Read Forwards, Introductions, or Prefaces– especially if they are “To the Student” • Skim Table(s) of Contents • Flip through the “end matter”– index, glossary, maps, tables, appendices

9. Preview read a chapter • Read the beginning and the end • Title and/or outline • Learning Objectives • Key words or vocabulary • Summary • Study or review questions • Flip through the body of the chapter • Note the headings and subheadings • Illustrations, charts, graphs, tables

10. What’s the point of a preview? • See information in a simple form first • Repetition is built-in • Shows what you may already know • Tells you what to look for and learn

11. Read the body of the chapter • The preview introduces you to new material and tells you what’s important to know • You’ve already seen terms and ideas 2-3 times, so the chapter will make more sense

12. Tools to read with • Syllabus– exactly what are you reading? • Highlighters– to mark key terms and concepts • Pen/pencil– to make notes, annotate, write cards and study guide pages • Notebook– to make notes in (!) • Index card(s)– to cover parts of page, or write vocabulary words, formulas, etc. • Study guide– to be filled out with answers

13. Be an ACTIVE Reader! • WHILE you read the body of the chapter • Make notes • Ask questions • If it’s your book: • Highlight and mark the text • Annotate the book

14. Be an ACTIVE Reader! • REACT to what you read • Discuss it • Review it • Read more in another source • Ask more questions • Answer questions

15. To review chapters: • DON’T just reread! • Concentrate on the outlines, summaries, and key terms. • Answer study and discussion questions.

16. Notes and Notebooks • Notes from lecture AND from reading • One subject=one book • Use looseleaf books, NOT spiral books, so papers can be added, removed, reorganized • Use colored paper or colored ink for visual interest • Use felt-tip or fine-tip pens for tactile interest • Use a comfortable pen or pencil, one that feels good in your hand

17. Notes and Notebooks Constitutional Convention -- 1787 in Philadelphia -- 39 delegates;12 states -- nec. bcse Articles of Confed not strong enough **Purpose -- strengthen nat. gov. -- protect political liberty Biggest Issue -- small vs. large states on how to represent (Virginia Plan vs. N.J. Plan) -- Compromise = Rep. by state in Senate, By pop. in House • Use symbols-- &, $, +, =, ↑,↓,△, etc. • Use abbrev. • Use a simple dash outline form • Leave white space!

18. Outline-- Constitutional Convention -- 1787 in Philadelphia -- 39 delegates;12 states -- nec. bcse Articles of Confed not strong enough Purpose -- strengthen nat. gov. -- protect political liberty Biggest Issue -- small vs. large states on how to represent (Virginia Plan vs. N.J. Plan) -- Compromise: Rep. by state in Senate, By pop. in House Notes and Notebooks • Use a system • Outlines • Cornell method

19. Cornell notes • Take notes in C • Summarize the page in B • Write cues and review questions in A

20. Note-taking Mistakes • No organization • No system for writing • Not knowing what to note • Trying to note everything

21. Fixing Note-taking Mistakes • Get organized • Develop and use a system • Learn cues for what’s important • Forget noting everything!

22. Fixing Note-taking Mistakes • Learn cues for what’s important • Verbal cues • Visual cues • Forget noting everything! • No one can write as fast as someone can talk! • Not everything is important • Tape recording can be good