324. How to make notes for Critical Research Study

NOTE- MAKING

 

Remember the notes you make will form the basis of your preparation and revision for examination (including the 4 sides of notes for the Critical Research Study). It is vital that your notes are clear and enable you to remember what the purpose of the notes was.

 

GENERAL POINTS

 

Record the author, book title, publication date rand edition.

Identify the type of source and reason for using it.

 

Use abbreviations and a shorthand form that you will understand later!

Use clear headings and sub-headings

Use numbers and letters to list ideas in order or for priority.

Use bullet points to list ideas of equal importance

Date and number your pages of notes to make it easier to understand them later.

Do not write in full sentences

Summarise points in your own words (use a quotation if you want to keep the wording)

Pick out key words and phrases

Pick out relevant, brief quotations

Highlight or underline key points in the-text

Note the page numbers of the source from which you take the notes

 

Finally – read through your notes and…

 

Make bullet point summaries of the key points relevant to your research.

Use colour to pick out important ideas or to link related information.

 

Clarity and organisation are essential. Ideas and arguments should be built into your notes as much as possible so that the information you have makes sense in terms of the your investigation.

 

 

LINEAR NOTES

 

The most common form of note-making (though not necessarily the best for your particular purposes). They are generally hand-written on lined paper .

 

            Don’t fill the whole line, and don’t write on every line .

            Aim to leave a lot of white space on the page .

            Leave a margin on the right to add in notes I thoughts later .

            Choose headings that help you remember the information .

            Use sub-headings, sub-points to give more detail (number re- priorities) .

            Use non-written signs – colour, arrows, diagrams, bullet points, underlining to . visually clarify your notes