I never in my life had taken more notes in a lecture or from reading than in Nursing School. Each class, each semester ended with two 2.5 inch binders, many classmates would carry around 5-inch binders, they were way too heavy for me. The quantity of notes does not have anything to do with the quality of the outline.
#1 Vocabulary and Diagrams
Typically, the vocabulary and diagrams are essential if the text feels it’s important enough to make a chart or bold a word then it’s worth paying attention too. Most textbooks will have the name of theories, concepts, and even names of individuals, in bold or italics. Make notes, understand the meaning and connection of the word to the rest of the material. Diagram, charts, and tables found in abundance throughout the reading. Tables may either display data of a population or information. Information found in a table such as a body system involved in a disease process. Here is where a lot of the select all that applies question. Diagrams and charts will express examples or concepts, an understanding of the main ideas and why the information presented in this manner.
#2 Any words that you aren’t sure of at all
Whether you come across a word during the lecture on when reading, do not glaze over any word that you don’t understand or is new to you. These words will come back. Defining the word will make it more memorable the next time you come across. In medicine even commonly, known events have a different medical term. For example, epistaxis is a nosebleed. Descriptions of breathing, sounds, colors, consistency also have medical phrases with lame men terms, a wound with the pus of either white, yellow, pink, or green described as purulent. Nursing and medicine, in general, is like learning a new language.
#3 Outlining in a group
One method to ease the amount of work and increase study time is to outline in a group. In a group of classmates divided subjects, wither by lecture, chapter, disease process, or system. Establish a minimal amount that should be on each outline. Set guidelines for how the frameworks and notes should be listed. The one issue I have with shared structures is that aren’t in the same format find information and studying was that much more difficult. Having a reliable group with a set of the guideline, making and using outline and study guides will save you time and a shared group to ounce off difficulties or questions.
#4 Outlining by yourself
I am a self-outliner and notetaker. Let me state I have shared my notes with classmates. As I said above, I like my outlines to be in a standard format A standard format allows for information to be found more accessible and it is aesthetic look right. Another reason for me is part of the study process for me is writing out or typing out the information. It becomes more recognizable and more likely to be retained. The times when I used other people’s study guides due to factors outside of school or pure procrastination on my part never panned out well on the exams.
Everyone has their own tips when it comes to taking notes and making outlines. These are only a few.