Note taking and essay questions

Some things to think about when taking notes and answering essay questions

Note taking tips:

• Only write key points like names/dates/statistics

• Use different coloured highlighter pens to highlight the most important points

• Colour code notes according to the class/subject

• Find out what unfamiliar words mean – ask your lecturer or other students about anything you are not sure of

• Read your notes after the lecture and again before your next lecture

• Write the date on each page of notes

• Write down sources of information – you may need this later

• Ask permission from your lecturer to record lessons in case you feel you’ve forgotten something after it

• Keep a goal in mind – write it at the top of the page of notes.  For example ‘Photosynthesis 3 key facts’

• Questions to think about when writing your lecture notes:

What was the topic of the lecture – what were the key themes?

What questions or thoughts do you have about the materials?

What questions might be asked of you in a test or essay?

Answering essay question tips:

Look at the question and highlight the key words. Identify which words are:

Instruction words – words that tell what you need to do, for example, describe, compare, discuss

Subject words – words that tell you the topic of the question

Key aspect words – words that tell you the limit of the question

Other significant words – words that give you more information

• Take the following question as an example: ‘Compare and contrast forms of rural settlement in at least two European regions in the latter Middle Ages.’

The instruction words are ‘compare and contrast’.

The subject words are ‘forms of rural settlement’.

The key aspect words are ‘at least two European regions’.

Other significant words are ‘latter Middle Ages’.

• Meaning of instruction words:

Account for: explain why something is as it is

Analyse: separate the topic into parts and discuss each of them

Compare: show how things are similar

Contrast: show how things are different

Criticise: give strengths and weaknesses

Define: give clear meanings to show how something is different to similar things

Describe: explain features of a subject – use a pattern such as the order in which something happened or where it occurred

Discuss: analyse carefully and give reasons for and against using detail

Evaluate: give your opinion based on facts – emphasise what experts have said and indicate how well or badly something works

Examine: divide up and describe different parts or sections

Explain: give reasons for differences of opinion or results and try to analyse causes

Illustrate: use statistics or examples to explain an issue

Interpret: give examples to explain the meaning and give your own judgement

Justify: prove that something is correct or incorrect and give reasons for your conclusions

List: make concise points one by one

Outline: give the main points of a topic

Show: point or demonstrate the topic of the question and show how things are linked or follow on from each other

State: give the main points

Suggest: give evidence of whether something has value or not

Summarise: give the main points and leave out the details

Trace: describe the progress or development of an event or idea