Chariot Learning
  • About
    • FAQ
    • Our Curriculum
    • Areas Chariot Learning Serves
  • Services
    • SAT & ACT Prep
    • Academic Coaching
    • Subject Tutoring
    • Strategic Reading Club
    • Proctored Practice Tests
    • GRE Prep
    • Roots2Words
  • Calendar
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
April 29, 2019 by Mike Bergin

Learning Success with Shrinking Outlines

Make-Yourself-a-Better-Note-TakerIn education–as in all other things–we must never mistake effort for achievement. Far too many people are taught much yet learn little. In fact, many students find themselves buried under an avalanche of information without gleaning much in the way of knowledge.

One area the discrepancy between teaching and learning becomes apparent is in a student’s notes. Prolific note-takers may fill page after hopefully handwritten page with copious names, dates, and facts, only to lose the essential framework that ties all these discrete pieces of trivia together. One path to distilling excess information into real knowledge is the shrinking outline method.

STEP 1. A shrinking outline comes in handy when an original outline contains too much information to be manageable. So start with an unwieldy body of sequential notes.

STEP 2. Spend time studying these notes, looking for the main ideas that contain and connect the smaller points. Create a condensed outline that eliminates supporting lists and details but maintains the big ideas and concepts.

STEP 3. Use this condensed outline as a study guide. For each main idea, write down from memory the details you need to know but omitted. Repeat until you’ve shown mastery of the core material, referencing your original notes as often as necessary.

STEP 4. Once you’ve mastered your condensed outline, shrink it down to an even more refined and concise version. Focus on a handful of main ideas that serve as prompts for all the crucial information you are accountable for. This final outline should be your last study resource.

The shrinking outline method–from writing the original notes to reading and rereading them to writing and studying more–takes a lot of time and effort. So, however, does real learning. This process leverages elemental aspects of knowledge acquisition such as reading as a path to thinking, spaced repetition, and the almighty production effect. So, when you have to master a massive body of notes, embrace the incredible shrinking outline method.

learning note taking study skills

Previous articleOn the SAT & ACT, Read Shallow and WideNext article How to Prioritize When Everything Feels Important
Mike Bergin
Tens of thousands of students a year prep for the SAT & ACT through programs Mike Bergin created or organized. After more than 25 years of intensive experience in the education industry, he's done it all as a teacher, tutor, director, curriculum developer, blogger, podcaster, and best-selling author. Mike founded Chariot Learning in 2009 to deliver on the promise of what truly transformative individualized education can and should be.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Helping high schoolers with tests, school, and life is what Chariot Learning is all about. Let us know how we can help you!

Latest Posts

  • Are You a Supertasker?
  • Are You Really Ready for College?
  • ACT Now Reporting Superscores
  • Looming Questions About a Digital SAT or ACT
  • Test Ready for Spring 2021
  • Want to excel? FOCUS.
    by chariotlearning 11 hours ago
    Want to excel? FOCUS.
  • Be awesome today!
    by chariotlearning 2 days ago
    Be awesome today!
  • Everyone must choose one of two pains. Which do you choose?
    by chariotlearning 4 days ago
    Everyone must choose one of two pains. Which do you choose?
  • If you want better, go get better.
    by chariotlearning 6 days ago
    If you want better, go get better.
  • Your destiny is forged in the fires of your determination.
    by chariotlearning 1 week ago
    Your destiny is forged in the fires of your determination.
  • Today
    by chariotlearning 1 week ago
    Today's accomplishments were yesterday's impossibilities.
  • All good things start with a dream...
    by chariotlearning 2 weeks ago
    All good things start with a dream...
  • Fall in love with the process of becoming the very best version of yourself!
    by chariotlearning 2 weeks ago
    Fall in love with the process of becoming the very best version of yourself!
  • If you want something you
    by chariotlearning 2 weeks ago
    If you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done.
  • Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal.
    by chariotlearning 3 weeks ago
    Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal.

Subscribe to Mike’s Podcast

Subscribe to Tests and the Rest

SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

College Road is your source for expert educational advice, test news, college admissions action steps, special offers, and more. Sign up now!

Upcoming Events

  1. Free Practice Online SAT (4/17/21)

    April 17 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  2. Free Practice Online SAT (4/24/21)

    April 24 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  3. Free Practice Online SAT (5/1/21)

    May 1 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  4. Free Practice Online ACT (5/8/21)

    May 8 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
  5. SAT/ACT Extended Class – Spring 2021 (Online)

    May 11 @ 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

View All Events

Testimonials

It was great learning his secret tricks on how to score better – and the not so secret trick of practice, practice, practice! He improved our scores by 3-4 points, and we were very satisfied and happy with the final result.

Emma & Sara, Pittsford students

Read more testimonials...
© 2020 Chariot Learning, LLC. All rights reserved.