The document outlines methods for simplifying language in note-taking, emphasizing the use of key words, symbols, abbreviations, and numbers. It provides examples of how to apply these techniques to various sentences and encourages the creation of personal abbreviations. Additionally, it includes homework tasks to practice note-taking and symbol usage relevant to banking.

1. Note-Taking:
Simplifying Language

2. How to Simplify Language
1. Write down only key words and phrases.
e.g. Many wealthy people avoid paying taxes in their
own country by opening a Swiss bank account.
However, the Swiss government is under a lot of
international pressure to change its banking laws
because of the global banking crisis.

3. Identify the key words and phrases in
the following:
a. Swiss president Hans-Rudolf Merz said Swiss banks would
cooperate with the international community to fight the tax
cheats, but any help would only be on a case-by-case basis.
president, Hans-Rudolf Merz, cooperate, international
community, fight, tax cheats, help, case-by-case basis
b. They would only help where foreign governments can prove
bank customers are breaking the law.
help, foreign governments, prove, customers,
breaking the law

4. How to Simplify Language
2. Use common symbols.

5. Reference: Hampton, M. (2010). Helpful abbreviations for speedy note-taking. Retrieved from
http://www.port.ac.uk/media/contacts-and-departments/student-support-services/ask/downloads/Helpful-abbreviations-
for-speedy-note-taking.pdf

6. Simplify the following using key words
and symbols.
a. Profit equals revenue minus costs.
Profit = revenue – costs
b. The costs increased. Therefore, the profit
decreased.
Costs ↑ ∴ profit↓
c. A decrease in sales can possibly lead to redundancy.
↓ sales ? → redundancy

7. Money Symbols and Codes

8. How to Simplify Language
3. Write numbers.
e.g. 4, not ‘four’
39, not ‘thirty-nine’
678, not ‘six hundred seventy-eight’

9. Simplify the following using symbols,
codes, and numbers.
a. Ten tellers and two managers per branch
10 tellers & 2 managers / branch
b. Balance less than two hundred dollars
Balance < $200
c. One euro is approximately equal to one hundred fifty
Japanese yen.
1 EUR ≈ 150 JPY

10. How to Simplify Language
4. Use common abbreviations.

11. Reference: University of Greenwich. (n.d.). Note-making - symbols and abbreviations. Retrieved from http://www2.gre.ac.uk/

12. Abbreviations for Time, Days of the Week, and Months of the Year

13. Simplify the following using key words,
symbols, and abbreviations.
a. Note: The department meeting is scheduled this Friday at
nine in the morning.
N.B. Dept. meeting Fri 9 a.m.
b. Mr. Morgan’s check for three thousand euros, which was
dated June sixteenth, was bounced by the bank.
Mr. Morgan check €3k Jun 16 bounced
c. In regard to personal loans, the maximum repayment term is
48 months.
Re personal loans max repayment term = 48 mos

14. How to Simplify Language
5. Invent personal abbreviations where no
common convention exists.
*Two abbreviation techniques:
a. Use the first few letters of the word – just enough to remember what
the abbreviation stands for.
e.g. conc for ‘conclusion’
eval for ‘evaluation’
qual for ‘quality’
b. Remove all (or most of) the vowels from the word and use just key
consonants bunched together.
e.g. mngmt for ‘management’
mkt for ‘market’ (and mkting for ‘marketing’)

15. Make your own abbreviations for
the following:
a. customer
b. transaction
c. payment
d. development
e. terms and conditions

16. Re personal abbreviations
a. Don’t invent too many.
b. Use them consistently.

17. HOMEWORK
Do these tasks in your notebooks:
1. Take notes on the article India Opens Bank for
Women.
2. List 10 or more symbols, codes, and abbreviations
that you commonly use for banking expressions
relevant to your work duties. (e.g. a/c for ‘account’)
Bring your notebooks next lesson so the teacher can
check your work.