Study Skills

The best, most effective ways to take notes

I was a terrible undergraduate student; mainly because I had no idea how to take notes. I just used to scribble down everything the lecturer said, writing until my hand cramped and my fingers spasmed, praying that whatever was important would end up on my page. When it came to use my notes I had to wade through pages of illegible notes and try to sort wheat from chaff. If only I had heard of the Cornell note-taking system. See ​https://theconversation.com/whats-the-best-most-effective-way-to-take-notes-41961

How to avoid sounding silly in emails

This is written as advice for students - but I think a whole bunch of us could do with this advice!​
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The 3Rs:Driscoll's Reflective Model 

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A great reflective model I use in my SOSC2288/7288 class. It essentially looks like this:
 A nice easy explanation is provided here: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/sonet/rlos/placs/critical_reflection/models/driscoll.html
Updated:10/06/19

How to improve your writing

 There is a useful web publication with some great open access  papers about writing which largely seems to be aimed at students. Is is called Writing Spaces: http://writingspaces.org/essays.
​The papers are very clearly written and aimed at improving writing practice.

There is also a paper by Irvin 'What is Academic Writing' which is  very good: http://writingspaces.org/essays/what-is-academic-writing.

​The other piece of great advice I've been given comes from writer Anne Lamott. In her book Bird by Bird,  she talks about the need to write a “shitty first draft” in order to get to a more polished draft. 
  • "Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft."                                    ~ Anne Lamott

I also recommend the blog by Henneke who writes about  
"How to rescue a shitty first draft". See: www.enchantingmarketing.com/writing-shitty-first-drafts/ Henneke makes this great observation: 
  • "I used to think that once a caterpillar had grown big enough, it simply grew beautiful wings so it could enjoy the freedom of flying. A magical process. But did you know how gruesome this process is? A caterpillar digests itself, destroying all its tissues before turning into a butterfly. It’s a fascinating, but grisly process.  To transform your shitty first draft, you go through a similar process. The key is not to fall into despair, and not to focus on what’s wrong with your draft. Instead, focus on the jewels buried in your words."
The scientists among you might enjoy this more actuate if somewhat disturbing account: ​https://www.zmescience.com/ecology/animals-ecology/how-caterpillar-turn-butterfly-0534534/