Methods For Shorthand Notetaking? 21
sabrewulf asks: "I've searched the 'net for 20 hours straight today and found not a single site to learn some symbolic shorthand writing. I would prefer to learn Pitman's shorthand or Gregg but unfortunately all sites point to Amazon and those books are either out of print or on back order. Anyone have any URLs/Suggestions to where one could learn shorthand over the net, especially for a student headed off to college this fall? Phonetic shorthand (lk ths!) is not(!) an option."
Note Taking (Score:1)
The most important thing to remember is be at class, awake, and paying attention. Once you skip your first class, it becomes a lot easier to do it again. Then all of the sudden you're missing all of your classes some days because you don't feel like going, and there's only 3 of them so it's not tooooo big of a deal. Oh yeah, and go to labs and tutorials; just because they're not manditory doesn't make them unimportant.
What you really want is speedwriting. (Score:2)
Two advantages: easier to learn, and comprehensible by others (well, partially).
A google search pulled up a bunch of online training links. I'm just waiting for someone to make a speedwriting recogniser for my Visor.
Shorthand books (Score:1)
Is it just me? (Score:2)
Slightly related, Is it just me or is shorthand falling out of fashion? Nobody writes it anymore. A good typist can type faster than a good shorthand writer. Voice recording is cheap.
I, personally, find that the best solution is to cary a laptop around with me for notetaking. I haven't had any real cases where I couldn't type fast enough to keep up.
gd lck (Score:1)
Step away... (Score:3)
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Palm Pilot + GoType Keyboard (Score:2)
'Course I can type pretty fast, so that helps. If you're a keyboard poke-er, then this might be slower.
Re:Palm Pilot + GoType Keyboard (Score:3)
1) The memo pad only goes up to 4K characters. That's probably OK for most 1.5 hr classes, but it's WAY too small for longer ones. There are a number of different "notepad replacement/word processors for Palm" out there that will let you ramble on to your heart's content.
2) If you're carpal tunneled, these will aggravate that. The keyboard is not split (at least on the Targus), and the keys are at the desk level. I got a cheap, foam wrist rest, cut it down to size, and it works fine.
3) I don't know what you're studying, but if you've got lots of things in equations or diagrams, forget it. Use a notebook. Text only need apply here.
Other than that, it's beautiful.
They're under copyright. (Score:2)
Why? (Score:4)
If you want to use it for class notes, a verbatim record of what the professor (or more likely, grad student) says is pretty much worthless. You'll retain *far* more information is you make the effort to paraphrase the information and jot that down -- even if you record only one tenth the information and drop your notes in the trash can on the way out the door.
The reason is simple: paraphrasing what you are hearing engages the verbal part of your brain... and verbal memory. Writing that down engages the motor skills, visual and possibly spatial parts of your brain... and visual and spatial memory.
In contrast, if you simply act like a human tape recorder you aren't really engaging the verbal part of your brain - you're doing word recognition, but this is very shallow understanding that won't give you insight into how disconnected parts of the lecture relate to one another. Worse, if you use an unfamiliar writing technique (shorthand - a few months of practice vs. a decade of printing/cursive?) you're physical senses will be focused on producing good shorthand, not what you're actually writing.
Overall, I think using shorthand to take class notes is about the *worst* possible thing you can do. Even listening passively is probably better, since you aren't distracted by trying to get the exact wording or paying attention to your transcription pad.
In those cases where you *must* record the information accurately, the professor will either hand out pages or give you plenty of time to copy it down. But that's fairly rare, especially in your underclassman years.
My perspective: BS math, BS physics (both fields which require painstaking care with mathematical notation) and MS comp sci.
What if the source is not audible (Score:1)
But, what if the notes are being taken from a non-audible source. What if the note-taker is writing a critique of a dance or circus. What if they need a sign language to print interface and can't afford or get line of sight with a video camera. Let's assume technology other than a pen is not available.
I don't know, I guess the poeple who can solve this best are people who had to take notes before recording technology existed. These people invented shorthand. Go to the library and look it up. It's no surprise there are no new developments in shorthand since few situations require it.
Here's a different approach (Score:1)
Some of my notes look like: "Hay 3 radii per fund. pd. del func." (uh, yeah)... that particular example uses english and spanish. Basically, I combine "compacting words" (like "hay" in spanish = there is/are) and words that are easy to write fast (like "cirque" in French), along with standard abbreviations (like std. for "standard").
It's wierd to try and share notes, and it might take a bit to deciper it, but it works for me.
The Wazoo (the not-old one)
All those little squiggles (Score:1)
Now I understand - thanks.
But why is it "Offtopic"?
Techie solution (Score:1)
That's the geek way!
{squawk} Pollie wants a cookie!
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Evelyn Wood, actually... (Score:2)
shorthand (Score:1)
Re:They're under copyright. (Score:1)
Teeline (Score:2)
Have a search for books on Teeline - it's a simple shorthand system used mainly in the UK. This link [gold.ac.uk] shows a very quick run-through from the basic letter shapes to forming words and phrases.
Dutton Speedwords (Score:2)
Dutton Speedwords [uea.ac.uk] is a shorthand system that is also an international language. It was developed in the 30's by Reginald Dutton.
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Shorthand (Score:1)
Re:Why? (Score:1)
I know that if I am writing paraphrases, I'm missing what the professor is saying because I'm not hearing what he's saying. Formulating that paraphrase isn't hard, but by the time I get it on the paper he can be on the next point.
That's why I use a personal shorthand notation in college.