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Note Making and Summary

Note making turns a long passage into a short, clear map of its ideas. Read the passage, pick the main ideas, give the notes a title, write numbered headings with sub-points, shorten words with abbreviations and explain them in a key. A summary is a short paragraph, here up to 50 words, written from your notes in your own words.

๐ŸŽฌ Step-by-step story

  1. First read the whole passage. Each bar is one line. Notes come after you understand the meaning.
  2. Now pick the main ideas. The yellow lines are the important points. The grey lines are examples or repeats, so leave them out.
  3. Write a title, then main headings 1, 2, 3 in order. Each heading holds one big idea.
  4. Under each heading write sub-points a and b. Shorten long words with abbreviations and explain them in a key at the bottom.
  5. Now the summary. Write it from your notes in 50 words or fewer. Move the slider and watch the count turn red after 50.
  6. Your turn. Change the topic, pick lines with the button and test the word limit.

Tip: drag the 3D scene to turn it. Use two fingers to zoom.

๐Ÿค” Common doubts, cleared

Should I write everything I read?

No. Only the main ideas matter. Notes are short, so examples and repeats are left out.

How many headings should I write?

Usually 2 to 4, each holding one big idea from the passage, in the same order.

Why do I need a key?

A reader cannot guess what your short forms mean. The key tells them.

Can I use sentences in notes?

Use short phrases. Full sentences make notes long and hard to scan.

What if my summary is too long?

Cut examples, adjectives and repeats, and use one word for a phrase. Recount until it is 50 or fewer.

Can I use my own opinion in the summary?

No. A summary only reports the passage's main ideas.

Why make notes?

Notes are a short record of the main ideas of a text. They help you remember, revise fast and see how ideas connect.

The note-making format: title, headings, sub-points

Title

Give a short title that tells what the whole passage is about, such as 'Saving Water'. Do not copy a long sentence.

Headings and numbering

Write 2 to 4 main headings. Number them 1, 2, 3 (or use a clear system such as 1, 1.1, 1.2). Put each heading on its own line.

Sub-points

Under each heading write points a, b, c with short phrases, not full sentences. Keep them in the order of the passage and the same style (all nouns, or all short phrases).

Example layout:

Abbreviations and the key

An abbreviation is a short form of a word. Use common ones (govt, info, &, dept) or make your own (WS for water saving). Use at least four, and use them in the notes.

At the end write a key or legend that lists every abbreviation with its full form, for example: govt = government; WS = water saving. An abbreviation without a key loses marks.

Do not abbreviate the title or the headings.

Writing a summary up to 50 words

A summary is a short paragraph that gives the main ideas of the passage, using your own words.

  1. Look at your notes. They already hold the main ideas.
  2. Write them in connected sentences, in the present or the same tense as the passage.
  3. Count the words. The limit is 50. Cut examples, adjectives and repeats.
  4. Do not add your opinion or new facts.

Start with the central idea, then the key points in order. A good summary needs no title and no abbreviations.

Common exam checks

Key formulas and definitions

Worked examples

1. A passage talks about the causes, effects and cures of noise pollution. Suggest a title and three headings.

Title: Noise Pollution. 1. Causes 2. Effects 3. Cures. Each heading matches one big idea in the passage.

2. Give four abbreviations you could use in notes on 'The Government's Plan for Clean Rivers' and write the key.

govt = government; env = environment; pop = population; poll = pollution. In the notes: 'govt plan to cut river poll'. The key lists each short form with its full form.

3. Turn this into a note: 'Many children now spend three hours daily on screens, and doctors say that this harms their sleep and eyesight.'

Heading: Screen time effects. a. Kids ~3 hrs/day on screens. b. Harms sleep. c. Harms eyesight.

4. Your summary is 62 words. How can you bring it down to 50?

Cut examples and numbers that are not needed, replace long phrases with one word, remove repeated points and unnecessary adjectives, then recount.

5. Which of these headings is better: 'Water' or '1. Why water must be saved'? Why?

The second one is numbered and shows the idea. The first is too general and has no number. A short numbered idea such as '1. Why save water' is best.

Common mistakes

Practice quiz

1. Notes should mostly use:
2. The key in note making lists:
3. Which should be left out of notes?
4. A summary here must be:
5. Headings in notes are numbered in:

Practice: answer these yourself

Type or choose your answer, then press Check. Use a hint if you are stuck; the full solution appears after you answer.

Frequently asked questions

What is note making?

Note making is writing the main ideas of a passage in a short, organised form with a title, numbered headings, sub-points and a key.

How do I write a summary in 50 words?

Write the main ideas from your notes in your own words, cut examples and repeats, and count the words so that the total is 50 or fewer.

How many abbreviations should I use in notes?

Use at least four sensible abbreviations in the notes and list each one with its full form in a key.

Related lessons

All Social Science lessons