这堂课如何做笔记 --- How to Take Notes in This Class
Taking notes is an integral part of reading a text thoroughly and learning the material. In this class, we are going to use a system of note taking that has several goals. First, it will help you understand the text. Second, it will make it easier for you to participate in class by giving you a record of your thought processes and questions.
In every class, I will ask “What did you not understand?” and various versions of “What did you think about xyz in the text?” By using this note taking system, you will be able to answer these questions effectively.
When I ask “What did you not understand?” my goal is to find a way to explain it that helps you get the material. This means that there is zero shame in answering the question honestly. The first step in learning is humility. It is okay to admit you don’t know something. In fact, it’s a very cool thing to do.
Taking notes involves two processes: an intellectual approach, and a practical technique.
Intellectual Approach:
At bottom, we are trying to understand what the author is saying. What are the claims? That’s step one of understanding. Beyond that, we want to understand why the author is making these claims, and why they matter to her. This means we have to ask questions like When was this text written? Why does the author seem to care about these issues? What is at stake for them? What kind of evidence are they using to support their claims? Who are they arguing against? Finally, having done all of the above, you are in position to evaluate: Do I buy it? Do I think these claims are true? What would it mean for these claims to be true or false—that is, what are the stakes?
Technique:
1. Write down the name of the reading and the date on which you are reading it at the top of the page.
2. Always use page numbers to indicate what page of the reading you are taking notes on. This will be helpful for participation, as it will help you find what part of the text you are discussing when you talk about the text. (If you’re taking notes on a podcast, obviously don’t worry about page numbers as there are none.)
3. Take notes in at least two colors. Use one color for what the author is saying, and the other color for your own thoughts. (You could also use additional colors to distinguish stuff you want to look up later, questions you want to pose in class, etc—but do use AT LEAST two colors.)
4. Write down key claims, definitions, arguments, pieces of evidence, etc. that the author is using. Your goal in taking notes is to create a document that gives you an outline of (A) what the piece argues, (B) how it supports those arguments, and (C) your own questions and thoughts about A and B.
5. As you go along, write down questions that you have, and make note of things you don’t understand (use color 2). Before class, do your best to look up answers to those questions. At the beginning of class, I will ask “What did you not understand in the readings?” We will then make sure to address these questions in the lecture.
Also make note of words/concepts that are new to you, then look them up and write them down.
6. As you read, the text will spark a variety of insights, associations, and thoughts for you. This is your brain on reading! Write those thoughts down (color 2). This could include things like “If X claim the author is making is true, then Y would also be true”; “The author is saying they aren’t doing X in this argument, but actually they are, because [whatever your reason for thinking this]”; “The author uses X piece of evidence to make their claim, but actually if you think about it in this another way, it could just as easily prove Y claim”; “The author is clearly influenced by X contemporaneous cultural or historical event/movement.”
This is the true work and joy of reading. Recording these insights is just as important as writing down what the text says.
7. In the text, highlight the part of the reading that your notes are referring to. This will make it easier for you to cross reference between the text and your notes.
All of this is important because the number one rule of our class and section discussions is that when you talk about the text, you should be able to refer to the specific part of the text you are discussing. I will ask questions like (for instance), “What does the author say about the relationship between gender and notions of scientific objectivity?” When you answer these questions, you should NOT only say “I felt like the author argued that scientific objectivity often excludes women.” This is a good start, but not sufficient. You SHOULD ALSO say things like “On page 588, she discusses how scientific organizations in the 17th century did not allow women to hold membership.” You could then read a quote, or talk about some of your insights and thoughts about that part of the text.
SPECIFICITY AND PRECISION IN READING IS OUR GOAL!
Here’s what this system looks like in practice. In this example, black denotes the author’s text, green denotes my thoughts/reactions, and blue shows the explanation of the system. Below you can see four pages of the text, as well as the note system.
Read the first four pages and then compare them to the example notes.
