Reading and note-making module

Reading and note-making provides strategies to help students select relevant information through lectures, reading, discussion and their own research, as well as approaches for making effective notes that will prove useful later on.

Sample activity: Recognise tasks that you can do in preparation for lectures

Lecture seats

Often in lectures your role as a student is to listen and to make notes. The material may be new to you or being discussed in more detail than you are used to.

Lecture seats

Fortunately, there are various things you can do before a lecture to help you prepare, so that you might quickly get used to the new ideas, theories and evidence from recent and research that might be discussed.

Lecture theatre seats

Often in lectures your role as a student is to listen and to make notes. The material may be new to you or being discussed in more detail than you are used to.

Fortunately, there are various things you can do before a lecture to help you prepare, so that you might quickly get used to the new ideas, theories and evidence from recent and research that might be discussed.

To learn how you could prepare for lectures, select the tabs below.

Points from the video are summarised below.

Get a feel for the subject. Find an introductory text on the subject. Read it, or at least glance through it. Look for themes, issues, topics and headings. If you come across a technical term that is unfamiliar, look it up.

You may find it helpful to form an opinion on one or more aspects of your reading. Write these ideas down. Note whether your opinions change during and after the lecture.

While you are doing your preparatory reading, write down questions you want answered. Leave space to write answers underneath each question either during or after the lecture.

Note any connections between what you are reading and what you have previously learnt. Glance through your notes from the previous lecture and look for links with the lecture that follows.

Time how long it takes for you to read either of the extracts below.

Extract 1 contains 208 words.

Extract 2 contains 450 words.

How do you prepare for a lecture? Are there any techniques discussed here which you might use for future lectures?

Module content

Reading and note-making features the following:

  • Diagnostic test
  • Section 1: Reading effectively
  • Section 2: Making notes while reading
  • Section 3: Making notes during lectures
  • Module assessment

See what’s in each section below:

  • Individual approaches to reading
  • Reading efficiently
  • Active reading strategies
  • Selecting what to read
  • Your reading speed, what is it and how can you increase it?
  • Skills self-assessment
  • Reflect on how you make notes and how helpful they are
  • Different types of notes you might want to make
  • Organisation and shortcuts for your notes
  • Making your notes memorable and useful
  • Points of learning from other students
  • Preparing for lectures and using lecturers' notes
  • Activities to complete during and after lectures
  • Filing your notes
  • Frequently asked questions
Time management
Writing skills

Recognise tasks that you can do in preparation for lectures

Often in lectures your role as a student is to listen and to make notes. The material may be new to you or being discussed in more detail than you are used to. Fortunately, there are various things you can do before a lecture to help you prepare, so that you might quickly get used to the new ideas, theories and evidence from recent research that might be discussed.

Below, you can learn how you could prepare for lectures.

 

Do some reading

Get a feel for the subject. Find an introductory text on the subject. Read it, or at least glance through it. Look for themes, issues, topics and headings. If you come across a technical term that is unfamiliar, look it up.

 

Ask questions

While you are doing your preparatory reading, write down questions you want answered. Leave space to write answers underneath each question either during or after the lecture.

 

Form an opinion

You may find it helpful to form an opinion on one or more aspects of your reading. Jot these down. Note whether your opinions change during the lecture.

 

Look for links

As you prepare, watch for connections between what you are reading and what you know already. Glance through your notes from the previous lecture and look for links with the lecture that will follow.

 

My journal

How do you prepare for a lecture? Are there any techniques discussed here which you might use for future lectures?

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