Study Skills: Note-taking 3
Using Abbreviations
We have said that the student is not concerned with taking down every word that the lecturer says, so have rejected shorthand for normal note taking. Nevertheless, a lot of time and effort can be saved by using abbreviations and symbols. The symbols you use must make sense to you, but it is not necessary for anyone else to be able to understand them. Note-taking is a very individual skill. The main point to remember is to use only abbreviations which you will be able to remember when revising your notes some time later. A student of linguistics, for example, might be ill-advised to use phon. as an abbreviation for phonology: it could equally well stand for phonetics, a related, but different, area of linguistics.
Abbreviations can be of three kinds:
1. Field abbreviations. The student specializing in a certain field will learn certain abbreviations as part of the study of that field. For example, a student of chemistry will know that C stands for Carbon, and Ca for Calcium. Such abbreviations are very useful since they are widely used within each field but not ambiguous, or liable to be misunderstood.
2. Commonly understood abbreviations. These are abbreviations in common use, or else easily understood. Some examples are i.e. meaning that is, and = meaning is equal to, or is the same as. For more examples see the following parts.
Some useful abbreviations and symbols for note-taking
From Latin
cf. compare (with)
e.g. for example
etc. et cetera, and so on
et al. and others
ibid. in the same place (in a book or article)
i.e. that is
N.B. note well (something important)
viz. namely (naming someone or something you have just referred to)
Symbols
∴ therefore, thus, so
∵ because
＝ is equal to, the same as
≠ is not equal to, not the same as
＋ plus, and, more
－ miuns, less
＞ greater than
＜ less than
≥ much greater than
≤ much less than
% per cent
÷ divide, divided by
× multiply, multiplied by
フ insert (something which has been omitted)
→ from ... to, lead to, results in
3. Personal abbreviations made up by the student himself. If you find yourself having to frequently note down a certain word it is sensible to find a way of abbreviating it. For example, a student of English literature listening to a lecture on the poet Wordsworth could well use the initial W. instead of writing out the poet's name in full each time he has to refer to it.
Main Ideas and Supporting Details
1. Suggested Abbreviations:
heart disease: heart dis. cholesterol: chol.
cigarette: cigat. exercise: ex.
especially: esp. similarity: simty.
difference: diffr. financial: finan.
responsibility: respty. hostility: hosty.
2. Listen to these paragraphs. Then write in the space given below the main idea and supporting details of each paragraph.
(1) main idea:
supporting details:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
(2) main idea:
supporting details:
a.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
b.
(i)
(ii)
(3) main idea:
supporting details:
a.
b.
c.
d.
(4) main idea:
supporting details:
a.
b.
(i)
(ii)
c.
d.
Study Skills: Note-taking 3
Using Abbreviations
We have said that the student is not concerned with taking down every word that the lecturer says, so have rejected shorthand for normal note taking. Nevertheless, a lot of time and effort can be saved by using abbreviations and symbols. The symbols you use must make sense to you, but it is not necessary for anyone else to be able to understand them. Note-taking is a very individual skill. The main point to remember is to use only abbreviations which you will be able to remember when revising your notes some time later. A student of linguistics, for example, might be ill-advised to use phon. as an abbreviation for phonology: it could equally well stand for phonetics, a related, but different, area of linguistics.
Abbreviations can be of three kinds:
1. Field abbreviations. The student specializing in a certain field will learn certain abbreviations as part of the study of that field. For example, a student of chemistry will know that C stands for Carbon, and Ca for Calcium. Such abbreviations are very useful since they are widely used within each field but not ambiguous, or liable to be misunderstood.
2. Commonly understood abbreviations. These are abbreviations in common use, or else easily understood. Some examples are i.e. meaning that is, and = meaning is equal to, or is the same as. For more examples see the following parts.
Some useful abbreviations and symbols for note-taking
From Latin
cf. compare (with)
e.g. for example
etc. et cetera, and so on
et al. and others
ibid. in the same place (in a book or article)
i.e. that is
N.B. note well (something important)
viz. namely (naming someone or something you have just referred to)
Symbols
∴ therefore, thus, so
∵ because
＝ is equal to, the same as
≠ is not equal to, not the same as
＋ plus, and, more
－ miuns, less
＞ greater than
＜ less than
≥ much greater than
≤ much less than
% per cent
÷ divide, divided by
× multiply, multiplied by
フ insert (something which has been omitted)
→ from ... to, lead to, results in
3. Personal abbreviations made up by the student himself. If you find yourself having to frequently note down a certain word it is sensible to find a way of abbreviating it. For example, a student of English literature listening to a lecture on the poet Wordsworth could well use the initial W. instead of writing out the poet's name in full each time he has to refer to it.
Main Ideas and Supporting Details
1. Suggested Abbreviations:
heart disease: heart dis. cholesterol: chol.
cigarette: cigat. exercise: ex.
especially: esp. similarity: simty.
difference: diffr. financial: finan.
responsibility: respty. hostility: hosty.
2. Listen to these paragraphs. Then write in the space given below the main idea and supporting details of each paragraph.
(1) main idea:
supporting details:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
(2) main idea:
supporting details:
a.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
b.
(i)
(ii)
(3) main idea:
supporting details:
a.
b.
c.
d.
(4) main idea:
supporting details:
a.
b.
(i)
(ii)
c.
d.