Study Skills and Report writing for Scientists.

tutor Mike Horne FGS

Warning - I am a Scientist, I am dyslexic, I don't write essays, I do write reports.

Note taking -

Let me again be blunt - if you learn to take good notes then it all becomes a whole lot easier. This is a very individual skill - idiosyncratic (to use a long word that it is hard for dyslexics like me to spell and understand).

Why should we take notes?

• it is part of the learning process - we are doing something with the information - we are actively processing it not just passively receiving it..
• it creates an archive that we can refer to in the future
• if we have exams it will make revision easier - we are condensing the information
• it is a tool to guide us towards what we need to pursue further
• it reminds us what we (or our tutors who will be marking our assignments) think is important.
• because as we get older we become forgetful (sorry, but it is true)

Notes help us to remember.

We make notes all the time - messages, telephone numbers, shopping lists, adress books, birthdays in diaries, "to do" lists ... note taking is a natural thing to do. So why is not taking in education a dying art?

One big myth -

• having a copy of the lecturers notes means that we do not have to take notes

Please, please, please do not fall for it. The lecturer's note are just that - they are the lecturer's lecture notes. They are the note to remind the lecturer what to say and to provide illustrations to support what she or he says. They are not a text book. They do not contain the full content of the course. And most importantly they are not your notes. You are welcome to a copy of my notes - here you are, these are they! But your own notes are more useful to you than my notes.

One other big myth -

• ownership is understanding

Buying the book, downloading the web-page, picking up a copy of the lecturer's handout is not the same things as reading it! Reading is not the same as studying it! Understanding comes from absorbing the information and testing it out for your self! No-one else can do that for you!

[ I fall for this myth every time! ]

What notes should you make? Well it is a matter of taste and your learning style, but when I make notes as a scientist I record-

• things that are new to me
• details of facts - accurate data
• overview - how things I already know fit into the picture
• simple reminders - to follow some things up later
• doubts and questions - these are what motivate us to learn
• quotes that I might be able to use later
• sources - when I got facts, quotes and ideas from so that I can cite them without plagiarism.

Types of notes. The notes we make might be different depending on circumstances and needs:-

• notes from a lecture
• notes from a book or journal
• notes from TV or radio
• experimental notes - methods and results
• fieldwork observations
• plans for a report or presentation
• notes for a lecture
• revision notes

Further information -

• Lecture notes - I make notes at lectures because it helps me learn, even if I never read them again, because I am processing the information. I get annoyed if the lecturer says "You don't have to take notes because I have a handout" because I do have to take notes. These are probably best in loose leaf form so that I can arrange and file them later by topic.
• Reading notes - compiling quotes and facts from other sources compiles a useful data base that I can draw upon later. As a student I can then show off my academic abilities to my tutor! Again a loose leaf format is probably best.
• Experimental notes - records of method and results made in the laboratory (whether your labitory is a "real laboratory" or just your kitchen and study at home. Probably best in an A4 hardback book - it forms a permanent record that you can add to but cannot destroy. Record the negative results as well as the positive ones. Don't ignore the details.
• Fieldwork notes - observations made outdoors - probably best in a pocket size book (A6 hardback) that will withstand robust treatment and rough weather. Try to be methodical and to get it "right first time" so that you don't have to go back.
• Revision notes and plans and notes for a presentation - these are condensing down what you think is important into key words and diagrams and phrases that will act as triggers. They remind you about what you need to say or write. They help you get it into the right order. These do not have to be linear -- they could be in a family tree, or spider diagram or in this case use hyperlinks to pages with further ideas. With my form of dyslexia I find it hard to read aloud so simple notes simply remind me what topic to cover next!
• reflective learning - reflecing on what we have learnt, how it fits with our previous knowledge and what we need to do next.

Mike Horne 2007.