Mp3 Script for Reading & Note-making: Lack of Speed Reading and Note-making at University By the Learning Strategies Development team at Queen’s University, Kingston. Problem 3: Lack of Retention Students often expect that they should be able to remember and recall information after only one reading and without any review mechanism, such as a note. Remembering what you read is an active process, it cannot happen without some activity on your part. Activity means more than colouring with a highlighter. This presentation highlights the importance of note-making as one of the most important ways to help in retention and recall of your readings and offers different strategies for note-making. We have also included some non note-making strategies. Cornell Method The Cornell system produces an excellent note from which you can easily and quickly study. It incorporates a section for traditional notes with a “Cue Column” and a “Summary” section. The Cue Column, on the left of the page, allows the note-maker to write key terms, concepts, sequences, and/or questions that will cue the brain to remember the detailed notes. The bottom quarter of the page is reserved for a brief summary which is very useful when reviewing notes. It can be used very effectively with the SQ4R system. At the “Q” step of SQ4R, the notemaker writes down his/her question in the Cue Column. Questions in the Cue Column are then used in the revision and review stages. The Cue Column can be easily folded over to hide the notes thus acting as a natural self-test mechanism. Another note-making strategy is a mind map. Why use a mind map? Because mind maps are both verbal (words) and non-verbal (pictures, symbols, colours), they use your whole brain, both left and right brain functions. You need to use BOTH brain hemispheres to be a good student! How will making a mind map help you read and retain information? • Show relationships between ideas quickly, vividly, accurately • Using key words, it condenses a large subject into a small area • Moves thinking from the general to the specific: start by choosing a main topic and focusing on the big picture and then zero in on the subordinate ideas • Can review quickly by looking at key words • Improves long-term memory: the picture enters your memory quickly and when visualized, will incite memory   Mind maps don’t have to include all the ideas in your readings. Instead, you can link mind maps. How? • Draw up a mind map that sums up the 5 key points in a chapter. • Then make a separate, more detailed mind map for each of those key points. • Within each mind map, include references to other mind maps à helps see relationships among many ideas • Staple all the mind maps relating to one concept together and you’ll have a concept booklet to study from Using Mind Maps with the Cornell Notes You can use Mind Maps alongside the Cornell notes. How? Divide notepaper in half: ½ for a mind map, ½ for information more suited to traditional paragraph method. You can also add mind maps INTO your paragraph-style notes. Mind maps are also useful for summarizing notes taken in Cornell format.   Cue Cards are Great! They’re portable; a quick test of understanding; can be done anytime/anywhere; and making them constitutes studying! How to use cue cards? 1.  Always write the questions in complete sentences. 2.  Keep the answers short. 3.  Prioritize your information. For definitions, write the ‘textbook’ definition on one side and a paraphrased version on the flipside. Wallpaper Another visual technique to help your recall is wallpaper – take sheets of flip chart paper and put concepts you need to know on them – paste them all over your room. Read them often to help your memory. And use colours to categorize and code information e.g. denote main ideas in one colour and details in another. Reading out loud is an excellent way to assist your memory. Getting your vocal chords involved in thinking, forces the neurotransmitters of the brain to fire away in another pattern, creating additional memory paths. You can read anything out loud – passages in your text, your summary notes, questions in the cue column of your Cornell notes. You can even describe your mind map out loud to yourself or someone else. Now that you have summary notes on my readings, what should you do? Read over your notes once a week. Why? Move info to long term memory! The notes you make are only useful if they are used for review. Learning is understanding and remembering. Remembering takes effort and practice. If you are behind in your reads, form a study group. Face reality: sometimes you just can’t get all the readings done that are required to do well so consider using a study group to keep on top of readings. Take turns teaching each other a chapter or article. Do summary sheets together on the readings. Make up possible exam questions based on the material. Take turns chairing the group and assigning tasks for the next week. After you’ve tried some of these new strategies, ask yourself if you are retaining information better. Also, ask yourself which strategies are working well and if any changes are needed. If you aren’t, consult a Learning Strategist for individual help. This concludes our Reading and Note-making presentation. We hope some of the strategies we’ve presented will help with your speed, comprehension, and retention.