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Study Skills: Note-taking & Avoiding Plagiarism

Study Skills

Effective Note-Taking

How to Take Effective Notes:

1. Write down key facts. 
Does your history teacher mention the date of a key War battle? Does your English teacher give examples of Shakespeare's use of dramatic irony? Does your math teacher go over a particular formula? Write it down!

2. Don't overdo it. 
Don't go crazy taking notes, though: You'll be frantic if you try to write down every word that's said in class. Some people actually learn better by listening, writing down a few key points, and then going over the material after class when they have more time.

3. Ask. 
Don't be afraid to ask the teacher to repeat something you miss. If the teacher's going too fast, chances are your classmates will also be relieved to hear the information again. If you don't want to ask in class, see your teacher afterwards. It's much easier than wondering if you got the notes right as you study.

4. Recopy. 
If you've scribbled down notes in a hurry, you might not be able to read them when it comes time to prepare for a test. Look over your notes when you get home, and recopy them if you need to. Copying them also helps you learn and remember what you wrote.

5. Organize. 
Keep notes for each subject in one place so you can find everything easily when it comes time for a test.

Video

What is plagiarism?

Plagiarism is when you pretend someone else's work as your own. If you use someone else's words or images in an assignment and have not credited them by referencing, you are committing  plagiarism. 

Referencing Help

Need Referencing Help?

The best way to avoid plagiarism is to reference...and the best way to reference is to use the APA Reference Guide and ask the Library team for help when you need it!

Here is the APA Reference Guide - bookmark it, so you can easily find it when you need it.

If you need help with referencing, contact the Library Team by submitting a Library Helpdesk Ticket, and a member of the Library team will be in touch.