NOTE-MAKING

Note-making is a means to capture the key ideas of a given passage in an easily readable,
logically structured format. It involves reviewing, connecting and synthesising the given
content.
How to Make Notes
1. Read the passage carefully and understand the main/general meaning of the passage.
You must comprehend the theme and subject of the passage.
2. Once you know what the passage is all about, mark the main components or sub parts of
the passage. Look for details, points, opinions or conclusions drawn from the passage.
Make sure, no important point is missed out.
3. Give your notes a title, make sure it’s short and crisp. It should be based on the central
idea of the passage.
4. Next, frame main headings and sub-headings to put across crucial components given in
the passage. It should be the main idea of the passage presented in bullets or numbered
points.
5. In case, the subheadings can be further provided with important details, write them in
points specifically under the subheading to which it belongs. These are called sub-sub-
headings.
6. Do not write full sentences; use abbreviations whenever necessary.
7. Use proper indentation to present the notes. Sub-sections are written a little further
from the main heading; be consistent while numbering.

How to Use Abbreviations and Symbols:

While making notes, using abbreviations and symbols help in saving time and space. There
are different ways to abbreviate long or complicated words:
 Using the initials of two or more words e.g., United Nations – U.N., etc.
 Using the first few letters of the words e.g., construction – Const., abbreviation – abbr.,
etc.
 Universally recognised abbreviations e.g., Opposite – Opp., government – govt.,
department – dept., etcetera – etc., that is – i.e., etc.
 Removing the vowels e.g., reading – rdng, books- bks, shopping – shppng, etc.
 Universally recognised symbols e.g.,\ Therefore, Q because, > greater, larger, < less,
smaller, ↓ falling, decrease,↑ rising, increase

How to Write Summary:

A summary is usually one-third the length of the original passage. Ideally, a summary must
provide the information in the same order as given in the original passage. While writing the
summary, it is advisable that you refer to the notes you have already made. This will help
you in keeping your summary short and crisp, informative and original. However, make sure,
all the important components of the passage are covered in the summary.
Weightage:
1. Note Making: 5 Marks

 Title: 1
  Numbering and indenting: 1
 Key/glossary: 1
 Notes: 2
2. Summary (Approx. 80 words): 3 Marks
 Content: 2
 Expression: 1

Note Making Format

Title

1. Heading 1
1.1 Sub-heading 1
1.2 Sub-heading 2
1.3 Sub-heading 3
1.3.1 Sub-sub-heading 1 [If need arises]
1.3.2 Sub-sub-heading 2

2. Heading 2
2.1 Sub-heading 1
2.2 Sub-heading 2
2.3 Sub-heading 3

3. Heading 3
3.1 Sub-heading 1
3.2 Sub-heading 2
3.3 sub-heading 3

4. Heading 4
4.1 Sub-heading 1
4.2 Sub-heading 2
4.3 sub-heading 3

Key to Abbreviations (Min. 4)

1. e.g. – example

2. etc. – etcetera
 3. & – and

Sample Note Making - I

Getting adequate sleep is of paramount importance. A good night’s sleep is essential for
preserving the health of your brain and gives you the best chance to meet the coming day
with a razor-sharp mind. An average person needs about six to eight-hour sleep a night—
although it is also true that you need slightly less than this, as you grow older-another
advantage of aging stress and sleep deprivation often feed on each other, since stress tends
to make it harder for you to fall asleep at night and sleep deprivation in itself causes stress.
Eventually, too little sleep can dramatically interfere with the performance of your memory-
something you obviously want to prevent. If you are not getting enough sleep, try going to
bed 30 to 60 minutes earlier than your normal bed time for a few days. Lie down on the bed
and try to relax by dissociating yourself from your daily routine work. This is normally
enough to catch up on any sleep deprivation.
If, however, you suffer from insomnia you should seek the advice of your doctor. The
chances are it is already affecting your ability to remember and recall information – and if
you are struggling to improve your memory scores, this could be at the root of your
problem. Prolonged periods of insufficient sleep can deplete your immune system, make
you more accident prone and even cause depression—this can also reinforce a more
negative outlook on life, which can contribute to your stress burden. The good news is that
your memory and mood should automatically improve once you improve your sleep
patterns. Tackle your sleep issues and everything else should fall into place.
Because stress management is so essential to maximize your brain power, if you are not in
the habit of setting aside time to relax, make it a priority to do so. Even a minute or two of
deep breathing can start to work wonders. Often the best ideas and memories can come to
you when you are in a state of relaxation as it is during these moments that you brain
stores, processes and plays with the information it has received.
Meditation has long been part of religious and spiritual life, specially in Asia. Today, more
and more people are adopting it in Western countries also, for its value of developing peace
of mind and lowering stress. There is some evidence that regular meditation can have real
sleep gain and health benefits particularly in terms of protecting your brain against aging.

(a) On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, make notes on it using
headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary- min.
four) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply an appropriate title to it. (5)
(b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words. (3)
Solution:
 Benefits of a Good Sleep

1. Imp. of enough sleep

1.1 Essential for the health of the brain
1.2 Gives chance to meet the cmng. day with a razor sharp mind
1.3 Avg. person reqrs. six to eight hour sleep a night
2. Effects of little sleep or insomnia
2.1 Interferes with memory
2.2 Depletes immune system
2.3 Makes you accident prone
2.4 Causes depression
3. Stress mngmnt. and meditation
3.1 Max. brain power
3.2 Brings best ideas and memories
3.3 Develops peace of mind
3.4 Protects brain against aging

Key to Abbreviations:
 Imp. – Importance
 Cmng. — Coming
 Avg. — Average
 Reqrs. — Requires
 Mngmnt. — Management
 Max. — Maximise

Summary
Good sleep is necessary for a healthy brain. Six to eight hours sleep a night is required for an
average person! Too little sleep or insomnia interferes with the performance of memory and
can lead to depression. It further adds on to stress burden. Good sleep patterns help to
improve mood and memory. Besides, stress management also maximizes brain power.
Relaxed mind is a home for best ideas and memories. Meditation, which has been a part of
religious and spiritual life particularly in Asia, develops peace of mind and lowers stress,
regains sleep and health. Western countries are also adopting meditation for the same
reason.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sample Note Making - II

Why does it feel there is always time crunch? But, since we all get the same 24 hours, why is
it that some people achieve so much more with their time than others? The answer lies in
proper time management. ‘Time management’ refers to the way that you organize and plan
how long you will spend on each activity. Good time management requires an important
shift in focus from activities to results: being busy isn’t the same as being effective.
(Ironically, the opposite is often closer to the truth.) Spending your day in a frenzy of activity
often achieves less, because you’re dividing your attention between so many different tasks.
Good time management lets you work smarter—not harder—so you get more done in less
time.
It may seem counter-intuitive to dedicate precious time to learning about time
management, instead of using it to get on with your work, but the benefits are enormous. It
improves productivity and efficiency. Your reputation as a professional grows. The stress
levels dip and a world of opportunities opens up for you. Your career advances and
important goals are too reached.
Failing to manage your time effectively can have some very undesirable consequences.
Deadlines are missed and the work flow is not only inefficient but is of poor quality. It dents
your reputation as a professional and your career is in the danger of being stalled. As a
result, your stress level shoots up.
Everyday interruptions at work can be a key barrier to managing your time effectively and
ultimately, can be a barrier to your success. Think back to your last workday and consider
for a minute, the many interruptions that had occurred. There may have been phone calls,
emails, hallway conversations, colleagues stopping by your office or anything else that
unexpectedly demanded your attention and, in doing so, distracted you from the task at
hand. Because your day only has so many hours in it, a handful of small interruptions can
rob you of the time you need to achieve your goals and be successful in your work and life.
More than this, they can break your focus, meaning that you have to spend time reengaging
with the thought processes needed to successfully complete complex work. The key to
controlling interruptions is to know what they are and whether they are necessary and to
plan for them in your daily schedule.
(a) On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, make notes on it using
headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary- min.
four) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply an appropriate title to it. (5)
(b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words. (3)

Solution:
Importance of Time Management

1. What is Time Management?

1.1 The way you organise and plan your activities
1.2 Important shift in focus from activity to results
1.3 Work smarter not harder
1.4 More work done in less time

2. Benefits
2.1 Greater productivity and efficiency
2.2 Btr professional reputation
2.3 Reduced stress
2.4 Increased opptnts for advancement
2.5 Greater opptnts to achieve important life and career goals

3. Consequences of poor time management

3.1 Missed deadlines
 3.2 Inefficient work flow
3.3 Poor work quality
3.4 A poor professional reputation and a stalled career
3.5 Higher stress lvls

4. Interruptions at work
4.1 Key barrier to time management
4.2 Breaks one’s focus
4.3 Have to spend time re-engaging with the thought processes that is
needed to successfully complete complex work
4.4 Key to control interruptions
4.4.1 Know what they are
4.4.2 Whether they are ncssry or not
4.4.3 Plan for them in your daily schedule

Key to Abbreviations:
 btr – better
 opptnts – opportunities
 lvls – levels
 nccsry – necessary

Summary
Time management is the way we plan and organise our activities. It requires shift in focus
from activities to results, so that more work is done in less time. Time management leads to
greater productivity and efficiency. The stress levels are reduced and we get greater
opportunities to achieve important life and career goals. Poor time management results in
missed deadlines, inefficient work and poor quality of work. It is important to control the
interruptions at work so that we can manage time properly.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Note Making for Practice:

The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a united defence system
and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of China. It is the largest man-made monument
ever to have been built and it is said that it is the only one visible from space. Many
thousands of people must have given their lives to build this huge construction.
The Great Wall of China is a series of towers made of stone, brick, earth, wood and other
materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of
China to protect the Chinese states and empires against the raids and invasions of the
various nomadic groups of the Eurasian Steppe. Several walls were being built as early as
the 7th century BCE; these, later joined together and made bigger and stronger, are now
collectively referred to as the Great Wall. Especially famous is the wall built (220–206 BCE)
by Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Little of that wall still remains. Since then, the
Great Wall has on and off been rebuilt, maintained and enhanced; the majority of the
existing wall is from the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Other purposes of the Great Wall have
included border controls, allowing the imposition of duties on goods transported along the
Silk Road, regulation or encouragement of trade and the control of immigration and
emigration. Furthermore, the defensive characteristics of the Great Wall were enhanced by
the construction of watch towers, troop barracks, garrison stations, signalling capabilities
through the means of smoke or fire and the fact that the path of the Great Wall also served
as a transportation corridor.
The Great Wall stretches from Dandong in the east to Lop Lake in the west, along an arc that
roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. A comprehensive archaeological
survey, using advanced technologies, has concluded that the Ming walls measure 8,850 km.
This is made up of 6,259 km sections of actual wall, 359 km of trenches and 2,232 km of
natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers. Another archaeological survey found that
the entire wall with all of its branches measures out to be 21,196 km.
King Zheng of Qin conquered the last of his opponents and unified China as the First
Emperor of the Qin dynasty (‘Qin Shi Huang’) in 221 BCE. Intending to impose centralized
rule and prevent the resurgence of feudal lords, he ordered the destruction of some
sections of the walls. However, he ordered building of new walls to connect the remaining
fortifications along the empire’s northern frontier. Transporting the large quantity of
materials required for construction was difficult, so builders always tried to use local
resources. Stones from the mountains were used over mountain ranges, while earth was
used for construction in the plains. The Great Wall concept was revived under the Ming
dynasty in the 14th century, to gain a clear upper hand over the Mongolian tribes.

(a) On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, make notes on it using
headings and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary- min.
four) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply an appropriate title to it. (5)
(b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words. (3)