Read, take notes and paraphrase

Once you have found suitable references for your assignment, you can start reading and taking notes. There are different reading strategies you may apply at different stages of the assignment writing process. For instance, you might skim a source first to identify if it is relevant, scan the source to understand its structure, and then critically read specific sections which are relevant to the assignment task.  While reading your sources, it is also important that you take meaningful notes which can help you think about your argument and paraphrase more effectively. This section includes details about practical reading and note-taking strategies to help you in this process.

  Read with purpose

Watch the video (Queensland University of Technology 2018) and click through the topics below for practical reading and note-taking strategies to help you take effective notes for your assignment.

Take effective notes

The note-taking system you choose to use should be meaningful and helpful.  You should be able to look at your notes and not only understand them, but understand how they relate to your assignment task. Watch the video (Discover Business Degrees 2015) and click through the topics below about common note-taking strategies you could try. 

  Take notes for your task

You may like to use the Charting Method to start grouping your sources into relevant themes.

• Click on the purple and white crosses on the example below for more tips about the Charting Method.
• Download the template to start grouping your readings for your task into key themes.

You may like to use the Cornell Method when reading sources in more detail.

• Click on the purple and white crosses on the example below for more tips about the Cornell Method.
• Download the template to start reading and note-taking for your task.