ABSTRACT
Life is full of information whizzing around the net, videos, TV reports, specialist documentaries, lectures, tutorials, discussion groups and in books, journals and newspapers. BUT, just because an article is in an academic journal, in the library, or on a reading list, does not make it a ‘note-worthy’ event. Making notes takes time, if your brain is fully involved in asking questions and commenting on the ideas, you will start to learn the material too. Noting is not just about getting the facts down, it involves identifying links between different pieces of information, contradictions and examples. Notes should record information in your own words, evaluate different points of view, and encourage the development of your own ideas and opinions. Note-making is a multipurpose activity; like snowboarding, it gets easier with practice. Good questions to ask when making notes include: ‘Is this making me think?’ or ‘Am I getting a clearer understanding of the topic?’ Notes are not usually assessed. The major exception is fi eld notebooks which are normally assessed for all geology fi eld classes, and which may be assessed on geography and environmental science courses.
