Mastering the Art of Note-Taking: A Guide for Nursing Students
Navigating the complexities of nursing school requires more than just dedication; it demands effective learning strategies. Among these, note-taking stands out as a fundamental skill. This article synthesizes expert advice and practical techniques to help nursing students develop efficient note-taking habits that promote deeper understanding and retention of critical information.
The Importance of Note-Taking in Nursing Education
Taking notes during lectures is a skill, just like riding a bike. Attending class and taking the notes is important primarily because the professor may be presenting information that is not presented in the text. It should also be seen as a structured opportunity to engage with the material that will further aid recall when needed.
Pre-Lecture Preparation: Laying the Foundation for Effective Note-Taking
Effective note-taking begins before you even step into the lecture hall. Students who know what their instructor is going to lecture on before the lecture are at an advantage. Take a look at the syllabus before the lecture. You will also be more prepared and be able to see important connections if you read your assigned reading before the lecture.
Reading Assignments: Building Familiarity with the Material
Make time for assigned chapters, and take notes on the main concepts presented in the textbook. This will allow you to get more out of the lectures if you’re somewhat familiar with material. Don't focus too much on the notes. Just read the chapter(s), get yourself familiar with the info. If you have at least a little idea of the info, you can at least get kind of an idea of what is important and where to start.
Utilizing PowerPoints: Identifying Key Points
Does your instructor post PowerPoints for you before class? If so, what I did for the classes where the instructor posted the PowerPoints before class was - I would use the PowerPoint to find the "main points" and I would make little notes based on that. If your instructor posts powerpoints…just use that to make little notes while reading the chapter(s) (maybe something you want to ask your instructor about during lecture, maybe something you don't really understand yet and want to focus more on later, etc.).
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In-Class Note-Taking: Capturing Essential Information
During the lecture, focus on capturing the core concepts and key details rather than attempting to transcribe every word.
Active Listening: Identifying Instructor Cues
As the lecturer, live or video, presents the material, there are two types of key information cues to be aware of. Some instructors will give you cues to let you know something is important. If you hear or see one of these cues, it’s something you should write down. This might include an instructor saying, “this is important,” or “this will be covered on the exam.” If you notice an instructor giving multiple examples, repeating information or spending a lot of time with one idea, these may be cues.
Asking Questions: Clarifying Doubts
Don't be afraid to ask questions - ask as many as you need, talk to the instructor after class if you need to. If you miss a point or don’t understand something, make a note and consult your professor later.
Choosing a Note-Taking Method: Tailoring the Approach to Your Learning Style
Outlining, mind mapping, charting, Cornell-no single note-taking method is right for every nursing or medical school student. You may need to try a few before you find the one that works best for you. Chances are it’s going to be the one that most closely matches your natural thinking style.
The Outline Method
The Outline Method provides a running list of statements that capture the main ideas and supporting ideas for the main points. The highest level of main idea is justified on the left, followed by the next level of supporting ideas that are right indented, followed by the next level of supporting ideas that are further indented, etc. It is key for students who utilize the Outline Method to avoid getting so immersed in the “proper” number method for outlining that they lose sight of the information; use a simple numbering or bulleted method.
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The Cornell Method
The Cornell Method requires that students set aside a “cue column” on the left side of the paper that is about 2 1⁄2 inches of the left side of the paper. Notes are taken on the right side of the paper using whatever methods students choose to utilize. After class, a summary of the lecture is written to ensure a review of the material and main points to be considered and expressed. In the cue column, students are encouraged to develop questions regarding the adjacent notes. Consider Bloom’s Taxonomy as you develop questions to ensure that you are not only developing knowledge and comprehension questions, but also including higher-level questions that you might anticipate on an exam. Later, this format can be used for self-testing. Cover up the answer on the right side of the page, and then ask yourself to answer the question on the left side. Check your answer and determine where you have holes in your knowledge to help focus further review.
The Text-Class Integration Method
For this method, students split their notebook paper in half with a line in the middle. On the left side, students take notes from their course reading, and on the right side, they take notes in class for the corresponding text material.
The Mapping Method
The Mapping Method represents the lecture in a visual or graphic format. It helps to utilize 11 ̋ 17 ̋ inch paper or 8 1⁄2 ̋ 11 ̋ inch paper in landscape profile. Students should start with documenting the main idea and placing that in the center of the paper. Then additional ideas feed off of that center point in a hierarchical manner. It allows students to see quickly the main point and relationships to follow. Typically, it is better if students stick with brief statements-one or two words-that capture the ideas. If you’re a more visual student or are learning a section with many related ideas, the Mapping method is a great option. Begin with the central idea in the middle or at the top of your page, and draw branches separating ideas into subcategories.
The Sentence Method
This is a simple method in which students write down a main point, fact, or topic, each on separate lines, numbering as they go. It is a useful technique when a lecture is somewhat organized and material is presented at a fast pace.
Combining Methodologies: Adapting to the Information
You may start with a particular method described above. However, as you become more skilled in your note taking abilities, you may begin combining methodologies to suit the type of information that is being presented. For instance, you may start off the session using the Sentence Method but then use the Mapping Method as you see a pattern emerge in a new concept that is conducive to mapping. You may opt to use the Outline Method in your Political Science course, because the faculty member presents a very organized lecture and use the Text-Class Integration Method in your Math class so that you can see parallel steps between examples from the textbook and the class.
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Handwriting vs. Typing: Choosing the Right Tool
According to a study published in the journal Psychological Science, students who take notes by hand actually learn more than those who type them on a laptop. While newfangled tech might allow you to tap out more words, the act of hand writing notes delivers a stronger conceptual understanding of the material. However, technology for note-taking may be popular. Taking handwritten notes is ideal, but consider a note-taking app if you prefer a tech-based solution. Look for web-based note-taking apps as trying to capture a high volume of information with your smartphone isn’t practical.
Post-Lecture Review: Reinforcing Learning and Filling Gaps
The most important aspect of reviewing your lecture notes is when your review takes place in relation to when your notes were taken. For maximum efficiency and retention of memory, it’s best to review within 20 minutes of when the lecture ends. Ideally, if you can avoid taking back-to-back classes without 30 minutes in between, you could have adequate review time and give your brain a break.
Typing and Organizing Notes: Creating a Study Guide
If possible, right after class (or as soon as you can but try not to wait)…type up your notes from class make them well-organized. Fill in anything you left blank, use your book to supplement things, add to things that you didn't understand, find examples in your book that help you understand, etc. Make this as neat as possible. This is what you will use as your study guide. Read through it, write it out over and over again, whatever helps you retain the information best.
Condensing Notes: Identifying Key Concepts for Review
Now…when I took notes…I tended to end u with PAGES! So, after I had spent time studying them and studying them and studying them and learned everything I could from it, studying them all was just wasting time because I learned all I could from those notes, so I would go on to my final step. Of course, there was always some things from those PAGES of notes that I had a hard time with still. So, I would take a piece of paper, then I would take the key concepts from those PAGES of notes and I would write just a few words or something to remind me about each one. You are only putting in what you DON'T KNOW. This ends up breaking our notes down from everything to only what you still need to review before the exam. The key here is to not go over 1 page. If you have, then you have put too much information – either you haven't learned everything you can from the PAGES of notes, or you just didn't condense the info enough. So, if you need to, go back and review those PAGES. If not, just focus on condensing what you have down more.
Discussing Notes: Gaining Different Perspectives
If you wish to go “above and beyond,” you may consider discussing your notes in a study group with your classmates, which can give you a different perspective on main points and deepen your understanding of the material.
Additional Tips for Effective Note-Taking
- Color coding can help students organize their nursing school notes.
- Write down everything that was mentioned more than once by the instructor.
- Use standard acronyms like SOAPIE (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan, Intervention, Evaluation) and DAR (Data, Action, Response).
- Stay on point and be specific.
- Add new information throughout the patient’s visit.
tags: #nursing #student #notes #tips
