Taking notes is a really important skill to master to pass the TOEFL. In every section of the exam, you’ll have to take down notes to figure out the main information in the text or lecture. Here are some tips to help turn you into a perfect notetaker.
Note-taking strategies for the TOEFL or the TOEIC
- Write down the main idea. Determine the main idea of the text or the lecture. Most of time, it will be introduced in the beginning.
- Write down the supporting ideas. Once you have the main idea, write down the supporting ideas. You can easily spot them by locating introductory sentences and connecting words.
- Make it clear and simple. Skip useless details and write down essential ideas. There is no need to get lost or unfocused trying to write down every little detail.
- Work on notetaking on a daily basis. Every time you listen to the radio or read an article, practice thinking about the organization by writing down the main idea and any supporting ideas. You don’t necessarily need TOEFL training material to train yourself!
- Organize your plan according to the situation and the ideas. For example, if you have to take down notes on a lecture, write an outline like this one:
- Main idea
- Supporting idea n°1
- Supporting idea n°2
If the audio recording or the text is a dialogue with different people or ideas, you can organize your notes into columns like this:
Opinion 1:
Main idea
- Supporting idea n°1
- Supporting idea n°2
Opinion 2:
Main idea
- Supporting idea n°1
- Supporting idea n°2
Opinion 3:
Main idea
- Supporting idea n°1
- Supporting idea n°2
There are plenty of note-taking strategies for you to use. Just find the one that works best for you. Keep it clear, simple, and focused on the main ideas.
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