Notetaking and Outlining
Lessons 12-15
Why Should I Take Notes?
II. It allows you to review the material later so that you can remember it.
III. You can use notes in the future (at Enlightium you can use your notes on quizzes and tests).
Cornell Method of Notetaking
Vocabulary Sheet
Outlines
How Can I Find the Main Idea?
Parts of an Outline
Before we can write an outline, it is important to know the different parts of an outline.
1. Topic/Thesis
The first part of your outline should be your topic or thesis statement. This helps you stay focused on what it is you are writing about and what you want to say about that topic.
Topic: technology
Thesis: Spending an extended period of time on an electronic device can be harmful to humans.
2. Main point
A main point is one of the larger ideas you want to discuss about any given topic. Based on the example above, here are a few possible main points.
Main point 1: It can cause dry eyes.
Main point 2: It can stunt brain development.
Main point 3: It can cause insomnia.
3. Subpoint
A subpoint is an idea that supports a main idea. It usually adds information you have gathered from sources or other details that are important to say. Let's use "Main Point 1" from the example above.
Subpoint 1: This is called eye strain.
Subpoint 2: The brightness makes our eyes work harder (AllAboutVision.com)
Subpoint 3: We usually blink less when looking at computers or phones.