CRITICAL READING AND NOTEMAKING
Chris McMillan, Academic Skills Service
This Morning
Understand how critical thinking techniques can be applied to learning and reading
The importance of active and critical reading
Be aware of the difference between notetaking and notemaking
Consider different notemaking strategies and figure out what might work best for you
Moving Forward
Last week we discussed the importance of critical thinking in the social sciences
We are not here to remember facts, but to develop the skills and attitude required to analyse and evaluate these facts
Today we will think about how to apply this mind-set to reading and learning
Next week we will discuss how to use our notes to plan assignments in preparation for your first assessments
Why Read?
You are expected to read the assigned chapters/articles before the start of every lecture and seminar
The majority of your study time will be spent reading
Essays are research projects that require extensive reading to find out what has been said on the topic
Reading is the basis of your learning
From thinking to reading 
Taking a critical and active attitude to reading is the most important first step to doing research

You are not reading simply to remember information, but to work out what you think and why
What do you think?
Academic writing is about making an argument in response to an academic issue
It is what you think, but it isn’t just your opinion
The goal of academic reading is to establish your argument and to have the evidence/authority to support that argument
What do you think about what they think?
Selecting your reading
What do you need to read? This often indicated on the reading list
What do you want to read?
Always keep track of your progress
How many sources do you require for a 1500 word essay?
The SQ3R Process Survey Question Read Repeat Review
Why are you reading? Set goals for your reading
Read quickly: skim or scan In-depth Critical Analysis Are your questions answered?
Identifying your needs
When you have identified the necessary reading, consider how it will be used in your writing Ask: Why
are you spending time on this text?
What
do I need to find out and where can I get it?
Arguments and Conclusions
Find the issue/question/objectives the research is responding to
Consider the core response to these issues
Both these elements should be located in the introduction and conclusion of academic work
The abstract also provides a map to the research
Writing Notes
Creating reflections
There are two key purposes for making written notes:
Remembering key information to be used again (taking notes)
Developing your own intervention into the debate (making notes)
It is important to identify these differing purposes
Writing notes
Many students only focus on recording vital information
This is valuable when you are establishing basic information and learning new ideas
Often this technique focuses on recording key moments and producing quotations for later use
It can be useful to use this technique the first time you read a text
Making reflective notes
This approach, however, is not the most effective for developing a critical understanding that will develop your own ideas
Instead, be sure to make reflections on the content as you move through Not ‘what does it say?’ but ‘What do I think?’, ‘Why do I think this?’, ‘So what?’ and ‘How can I use this information?’
The benefits of good notemaking
The process of note-making puts information in your memory
Part of active and critical learning that helps you to understand, rather than remember
Notemaking forces you to reflect on the material
Developing ideas
You will never know more about a text than when you are involved in it
If you have ideas or reflections, write about them – it only takes one moment of clarity to build an idea
By developing extended notes you are able to expand your thinking and link to previous ideas – the building of an argument
These extended notes can often be the basis for your writing
Don’t stop yourself from thinking!
Summarise your Position
Summarise the main conclusions of the text
Critically note:
What have you learnt?
What do you disagree with or are unsure about?
How will you use this source in your own writing?
Lecture Notes
Lectures: What do I write down?
Lecture slides will give you the basic information that you can retrieve latter – don’t worry about the details if they are on the slides already
Instead, record your thoughts and reflections so you can refer back to these later
This will be information you are learning and questions you have
The important thing is to react automatically to the information – for this we need to develop strategic techniques
Techniques
Linear Notemaking
Notes are written in an outline form Good for taking detailed notes in lectures and for recording arguments/ideas. Some key tips for writing linear notes are: • Keep to short phrases and key points. • Use lots of headings and subheadings • Use highlighters to mark significant points. • Be creative with colours and images. Linear does not have to mean dull! • After a lecture or reading: summarise in your own words the major points in a concise paragraph.
Linear Notemaking - Example
The Cornell Method
Structured version of linear notes
Title at the top, page divided into columns, the left one for questions and the right for notes and the bottom left for a summary
Active note making process
Good for organising reflections in lectures
The Cornell Method - Example Cues Main ideas Questions that connect points Diagrams Prompts to help you study When: After class, during review
Summary
Notes
Record notes here, using concise sentences Shorthand symbols Abbreviations Lists Leave lots of space between points When: During class
Top level main ideas For quick reference When: After class, during review
Common Abbreviations Symbol
Meaning
=
is the same as/is equal to
â‰
is not the same as
>
greater than/more than/better than
<
smaller than/lesser than/worse than
ď &#x153;
therefore
woman/female man/male
e.g.
for example (from the Latin 'exempli gratia')
Make the most of time in class
COME PREPARED – do the reading and prepare some thoughts and questions for yourself
If you’re going to use any kind of recorder, ask first!
Have a standardised notemaking method
Where necessary, make a note of illustrations or examples, and especially relevant references
Task – Making Lecture Notes
Take notes using the linear style from the following audio clip
Now take notes using the Cornell style. What
did Charlie do? What plot holes are there?
Which one do you prefer?
Figure out a system
File your notes regularly and in the correct order – get an ‘in tray’ if necessary
Keep a folder or binder for each module and keep them somewhere safe
Create a digital folder system if you choose to type up notes
Write the key bibliographic information on your notes as you go along to save time when referencing
Writing a Summary
Always write a summary after each lecture or reading
These summaries should be short and critical, identifying: The key points The points you challenged The ideas you need to follow up on
This ‘toolkit’ will be very useful when you come to follow up latter
Top Tips 1.
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Do not try to write down everything you hear or read Remember to respond to the text or lecture, not just record it Find a notemaking style that suits you. Make up your own shorthand to take notes but remember the code! Get organised Try recording your notes or lectures to audio so you can listen again later Summarise!
Next Week
Planning and structuring essays – How to use your reflections and notes to make an essay.
Any issues with your reading/writing, contact Chris.mcmillan@brunel.ac.uk