Listening Skills: using a table to organize notes

In the previous lesson, we learned how to use numbers, symbols and abbreviations in note-taking. Today, we will learn how to use a table to organize notes. Using a table is one of the effective ways to organize your notes while listening because once information is put in a visual format, you remember it more easily.

A speaker often starts with a brief introduction to what the talk will be about. So it is a good way to pay special attention to the introductory part, draw a table (like this), and write down the main points in the table. Add more detailed information to the table as you listen on.

For example, you hear a brief introduction as follows:

There are three main types of learning styles: auditory (听觉的), visual （视觉的）, and kinesthetic（触觉的）. Most people learn best through a combination of the three types of learning styles, but each person is different.

After the introduction, you may draw a table as below and note down the three types of learning styles. Then you can prepare to get more detailed information for each style.

Let’s see another example. I will read a paragraph to you. It is the beginning of a lecture and it introduces the main points to be dealt with in the lecture. Please draw a table and write down the main points while listening.

When you communicate with others, what means do you use? What means did you use 10 years ago or 20 years ago? Today we are going to discuss communication. We are going to concentrate on the means of communication, and we are going to consider them in four general categories. These categories are: speech, writing, printing and electronic communication. I will take each of them in turn and discuss them briefly.

So your table is probably like this:

Means of communication Details

In the following, you are going to listen to a radio program about four money-making ideas. Use the table to organize your notes when listen to the recording.