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Taking Good Notes
![Diver and Fish](/sites/k12/files/onlineHandbooks/WritersExpress/noteTaking2.png)
Imagine that you are exploring an unknown rift in the ocean. You see many new fish that no one has ever witnessed—and you get to name them: the Golden Bullet, the Peach Punzi, the Sky-Blue Skulker, the Red Rhonda. (That last one is named for your friend.)
You’d better write down those names so that you don’t forget!
Lists and other notes help you understand information when you first encounter it. They also help you remember it later. They guide your studying, and they may even document your deep-sea discoveries.
The next two pages help you get the most out of your note taking.
What’s Ahead
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Guidelines for Improving Note-Taking Skills
The guidelines that follow will help you improve your note-taking skills. Read and follow each hint carefully.
![Note Cards](/sites/k12/files/onlineHandbooks/WritersExpress/noteCards5.png)
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Sample Note Page
Below is a sample note page from a student in a social studies class. Notice all the different ways the student records information. Key ideas and points are written down, but not in full sentences or paragraphs.
![Note Cards](/sites/k12/files/onlineHandbooks/WritersExpress/notePage.png)