1. 1. Reading and Lecture Notes Project
WHAT 1. Practice various note-taking strategies in your target course
2. Write a brief reflective essay
WHEN Submit this instruction sheet along with the following experiments and reflection in a
pocket folder during class on Wednesday, February 14.
HOW 1. Experiment with four different note-taking and summarising strategies as an aid to
planning or executing business related tasks as an analytical tool, an aid to recall or a
as a planning outline for talks, reports, technical writing or interviews. Turn in
photocopies of all four sets of notes. Clearly label the strategy used for each set of
notes. Choose your strategies from the following:
A) Cornell Notes: (http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/cornellnotes.html) Take notes
in the Cornell format, including preview questions, concluding summary, and
margin review questions.
B) Double-Entry Notes—(http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/rlc/usingdoublenotes.html)
Take notes in a double-column format, with one column for ideas of the
lecturer/author and one column for your own critical response.
C) Outline—Make a Roman numeral outline that represents the progression, relation,
and hierarchy of ideas.
D) Mind Map— (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map) Create a mind map in
which you show a word or an image of the topic in the centre. Choose a style that
suits the material and your learning preferences and use features such as symbols,
shapes, colors, or other creative elements for visual stimulation and also to encode
or group. Select key words and print using upper or lower case letters. Each word
or image is best alone and sitting on its own line which should be connected,
starting from the central image. Take note that the central lines are thicker and the
same length as the word or image they support.
E) Story Pyramid— Begin at the top with the theme of your talk/report/technical
writing or interview, followed by the setting (place) and why it should in that
setting under the theme. Then state the characters (target audience) then the main
events or main ideas in the next row. Suggest problems that may arise in the row
below the last row and its possible resolution under it.
F) Problem-solution chart— Create a problem-solution chart through stating who
the target audience is at the beginning and then drop down to state what the
problem and why it is a problem. Suggest a number of solutions that have been
tried on one side of the next box and the results next to each solution tried. In the
final box, state the end results to your problem-solution chart.
2. Write a 500+-word essay (please type, with 12 point standard font, margins, and
double-spacing) that addresses these three main topic areas:
A) A description of your previous note-taking and summarising method(s), including
an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the method(s).
B) A detailed description and reflection of your experiences doing the experiments
WHY involved in this project. Explain what you like and dislike about these strategies
and why.
C) A specific, concrete plan for taking notes in the future (for your target course and

2. other courses, for this term and beyond). Consider not only the aspects of the
experiments but also any strategies, tips, attitudes, etc. that you learned through
class discussions, online resources, and/or other avenues. Discuss how this plan
can help you succeed as well as any potential challenges it poses.
Most students are in the habit of taking notes (particularly for lectures) but not necessarily
making notes. The experiments for this project are active methods for note-taking/
making. They require more attention, comprehension, organization, and engagement than
simply writing sentence after sentence of ideas; therefore, they work much better for
comprehension and retention. Which strategies are most successful will depend on the
nature of the material as well as your learning goals and preferences. This project asks
you to try several specific strategies and assess if/ when you would use them and why.
The written reflection is designed to heighten your self-awareness during these
experiments and set new goals—to embrace your previous strategies, make a few
adjustments, or start a completely new approach.