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Taking Notes

The ability to take effective notes on the books and articles you read is essential if you are to make proper use of them in your coursework. The key word is accuracy:

  • accuracy in comprehension (i.e. you understand what your source is saying);
  • accuracy in note-taking (i.e. you clearly distinguish between paraphrases, quotations and your own comments, and copy out passages of text exactly);
  • accuracy in referring to the source in your own work, whether quoting it directly, paraphrasing it or commenting on it, including providing proper references.

For the following exercises, we will be considering the right and wrong ways of using a particular extract from a source. In an ideal world we would have different examples for all the different subjects you might be studying, but instead we have an example that isn't especially relevant to any of them.

The key thing to focus on is how the passage is being used and presented.

N. Morley, Theories, Models and Concepts in Ancient History (New York & London, 2004), 66.

Ecology 'is concerned with the relations between plants and animals and their non-living environments, and in particular with the exchanges of energy which result in the population dynamics of different species'.39 Humans are involved in these relations, as part of the 'ecosystem', but it is only subjective prejudice to regard them automatically as the most important part and to present everything from their point of view. We should think about disease from the perspective of the various micro-organisms struggling to survive and reproduce, responding to changes in their environment by adapting to new hosts or changing their mode of transmission (for example, tuberculosis begins as a disease in cattle, passes to humans through contaminated food or water and then changes to being carried on water droplets in the breath).40

39 Simmons, I.G., Environmental History: a concise introduction (Oxford, 1993), 48.

40 Manchester, K., 'The palaeopathology of urban infections', in S.Bassett, ed., Death in Towns: urban responses to the dying and dead, 100-1600 (Leicester, 1992): 8-14.

Do the following represent acceptable notes on the passage? If not, why not?

1
Note-taking 1

p.66 Ecology is about relationships between plants, animals and humans, with humans the most important. Disease occurs when micro-organisms respond to changes in their environment e.g. Tuberculosis.

a)
b)
The notes suggest that the writer hasn't read the passage carefully enough; this is not an accurate summary.The notes suggest that the writer hasn't read the passage carefully enough; this is not an accurate summary.Your answer has been saved.
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2
Note-Taking 2

Morley on ecology, relations between animals and plants. Humans: 'it is only subjective prejudice to regard them as the most important part'.

a)
b)
It's a very brief summary, but if this is all the relevant information that the writer can identify that's fine. The real problem here is that the page number of the quote isn't noted.It's a very brief summary, but if this is all the relevant information that the writer can identify that's fine. The real problem here is that the page number of the quote isn't noted.Your answer has been saved.
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3
Note-taking 3

Morley on ecology: p.66 'concerned with the relations between animals and plants', exchanges of energy, population dynamics. Tuberculosis as example of disease adapting to changes in environment.

a)
b)
A reasonable summary, but it doesn't give credit to the sources that the passage uses; certainly Simmons should be mentioned, and probably Manchester as well.A reasonable summary, but it doesn't give credit to the sources that the passage uses; certainly Simmons should be mentioned, and probably Manchester as well.Your answer has been saved.
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4
Note-taking 4

Morley on place of humans in ecology, 66, only subjective prejudice to regard them as most important part or present everything from their point of view; see disease from perspective of micro-organisms struggling to survive and reproduce; potentially radical and politically dubious.

a)
b)
Doesn't clearly distinguish between Morley's ideas and comments of note-taker; doesn't properly distinguish between quotation and paraphrase.Doesn't clearly distinguish between Morley's ideas and comments of note-taker; doesn't properly distinguish between quotation and paraphrase.Your answer has been saved.
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5
Note-taking 5

Morley p.66 arguing for different perspective resulting from ecology: 'we should think about disease from the perspective of various micro-organisms struggling to respond to changes in their environment'.

a)
b)
Inaccurate transcription of quotation.Inaccurate transcription of quotation.Your answer has been saved.
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6
Note-taking 6

Morley (2004) 66: see things from POV of tuberculosis.

a)
b)
It's fine. Very brief, but if that's all the relevant information to be found in the passage, and all the contextual information needed to make sense of it, that's all you need.It's fine. Very brief, but if that's all the relevant information to be found in the passage, and all the contextual information needed to make sense of it, that's all you need.Your answer has been saved.
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The following is a more comprehensive and detailed version, which attempts to distinguish clearly between quotation (with quote marks and page refs), paraphrase and the note-taker's own comments (in square brackets):

Morley (2004), 66-9 on ecology. Quotes I.G.Simmons, 'Environmental History' (1993: 48) for definition: 'concerned with the relations between plants and animals and their non-living environments, and in particular with the exchanges of energy which result in the population dynamics of different species'. Humans part of ecosystem but not most important part [political agenda of ecology, radical point of view??]. 'We should think about disease from the perspective of the various micro-organisms struggling to survive and reproduce, responding to changes in their environment' (66): e.g. tuberculosis changes mode of transmission.

Key points to keep in mind

  • accuracy of transcription when you're quoting;
  • always make it clear what's a quotation, what's a summary and what are your own thoughts;
  • always note down enough details to be able to reference properly later;
  • don't write down too much, or you will find yourself having to take notes from notes - try to focus your research, keeping in mind the key questions you need to address.

Taking notes on lectures

  • don't attempt to write down everything; it's more important to focus on what the lecturer is saying and to note a few key points.
  • highlight points that you need to research further and books or articles that could be useful for your work.
  • it's often useful to make a note of your own key questions, whether you then ask the lecturer about them, look them up in books or simply keep them in mind when doing your reading.