Note-Taking Training Module (Part II)

You will need a recording device, in order to complete

these exercises and check your progress.
• Please have a note pad ready and consider that you will probably use more than
one to complete all exercises.
• This training module will serve as a starting point to develop your own note-
taking techniques and style. Please remember that a good note-taking technique
can only be developed step by step, and through practice.
• The level of complexity of these exercises increases according to progress.
• We will consider 4 essential aspects to develop an effective technique, and you
will find some exercises at the end of each one of the 4 sections that comprise
this training module.

Before we start, you can follow the link to the site below and read about 7 Tips on
Note-Taking.
[Link]
Please note that all resources will always lead you to the father of Note-Taking for
interpreters, Jean-François Rozan.

Guiding Principle:
Be quick, but intelligible.
We understand that the effectiveness of any technique relies on the speed of
notetaking, but you still have to understand what you wrote down.

Golden Rules:
• Be organized and NEVER use loose sheets of paper.
• Number your pages.
• Do not sacrifice quality for quantity.
• Use standardized symbols. Do not create new ones (yet).
• Keep it SIMPLE.
• DO NOT ABBREVIATE:
o Numbers
o Proper names. For example, “Mary” is not “Maria”
o Addresses
o Technical terms
Exercise #1
Level 1: Basic

Listen to the segment “At the Doctor's Office 1” to practice your note-taking
techniques. (click link below)

At the doctor. Level 1.mp3

Length: 17 seconds

1. On your notepad, listen to the audio as you would in any normal interpreting
assignment, and take notes using as many abbreviations and symbols as
possible.
2. Record your interpretations using your recording device.
3. Listen to your recording and compare your rendition to the original audio.
4. Rate yourself using the scale 1 to 4.
1= Poor, 2=Needs more practice, 3= Satisfactory, 4=Exceptional Job
If you scored 1 or 2, please repeat the exercise.

Level 2: Intermediate

Listen to the segment “At the Doctor's Office 2” to practice your note-taking
techniques. (click link below)

At the doctor. Level 2.mp3

Length: 31 seconds

1. On your notepad, listen to the audio as you would in any normal interpreting
assignment, and take notes using as many abbreviations and symbols as
possible.
2. Record your interpretations using your recording device.
3. Listen to your recording and compare your rendition to the original audio.
4. Rate yourself using the scale 1 to 4.
1= Poor, 2=Needs more practice, 3= Satisfactory, 4=Exceptional Job
If you scored 1 or 2, please repeat the exercise.
Level 3: Advanced

Listen to the segment “At the Doctor's Office 3” to practice your note-taking
techniques. (click link below)

At the doctor. Level 3.mp3

Length: 49 seconds

1. On your notepad, listen to the audio as you would in any normal interpreting
assignment, and take notes using as many abbreviations and symbols as
possible.
2. Record your interpretations using your recording device.
3. Listen to your recording and compare your rendition to the original audio.
4. Rate yourself using the scale 1 to 4.
1= Poor, 2=Needs more practice, 3= Satisfactory, 4=Exceptional Job
If you scored 1 or 2, please repeat the exercise.

Exercise #2:
Level 1: Basic

Listen to the segment “Banking 1” to practice your note-taking techniques.

(click link below)

Banking. Level 1.mp3

Length: 44 seconds

1. On your notepad, listen to the audio as you would in any normal interpreting
assignment, and take notes using as many abbreviations and symbols as
possible.
2. Record your interpretations using your recording device.
3. Listen to your recording and compare your rendition to the original audio.
4. Rate yourself using the scale 1 to 4.
1= Poor, 2=Needs more practice, 3= Satisfactory, 4=Exceptional Job
If you scored 1 or 2, please repeat the exercise.
Level 2: Intermediate

Listen to the segment “Banking 2” to practice your note-taking techniques.

(click link below)

Banking. Level 2.mp3

Length: 66 seconds

1. On your notepad, listen to the audio as you would in any normal interpreting
assignment, and take notes using as many abbreviations and symbols as
possible.
2. Record your interpretations using your recording device.
3. Listen to your recording and compare your rendition to the original audio.
4. Rate yourself using the scale 1 to 4.
1= Poor, 2=Needs more practice, 3= Satisfactory, 4=Exceptional Job
If you scored 1 or 2, please repeat the exercise.

Level 3: Advanced

Listen to the segment “Banking 3” to practice your note-taking techniques.

(click link below)

Banking. Level 3.mp3

Length: 89 seconds

1. On your notepad, listen to the audio as you would in any normal interpreting
assignment, and take notes using as many abbreviations and symbols as
possible.
2. Record your interpretations using your recording device.
3. Listen to your recording and compare your rendition to the original audio.
4. Rate yourself using the scale 1 to 4.
1= Poor, 2=Needs more practice, 3= Satisfactory, 4=Exceptional Job
If you scored 1 or 2, please repeat the exercise.
Exercise #3:

Listen to the segment “Insurance Company 1” to practice your note-taking techniques.

(click link below)
Level 1: Basic

Insurance Company. Level 1.mp3

Length: 48 seconds

1. On your notepad, listen to the audio as you would in any normal interpreting
assignment, and take notes using as many abbreviations and symbols as
possible.
2. Record your interpretations using your recording device.
3. Listen to your recording and compare your rendition to the original audio.
4. Rate yourself using the scale 1 to 4.
1= Poor, 2=Needs more practice, 3= Satisfactory, 4=Exceptional Job
If you scored 1 or 2, please repeat the exercise.

Level 2: Intermediate

Listen to the segment “Insurance Company 2” to practice your note-taking techniques.

(click link below)

Insurance Company. Level 2.mp3

Length: 87 seconds

1. On your notepad, listen to the audio as you would in any normal interpreting
assignment, and take notes using as many abbreviations and symbols as
possible.
2. Record your interpretations using your recording device.
3. Listen to your recording and compare your rendition to the original audio.
4. Rate yourself using the scale 1 to 4.
1= Poor, 2=Needs more practice, 3= Satisfactory, 4=Exceptional Job
If you scored 1 or 2, please repeat the exercise.
Level 3: Advanced

Listen to the segment “Insurance Company 3” to practice your note-taking techniques.

(click link below)

Insurance Company. Level 3.mp3

Length: 85 seconds

1. On your notepad, listen to the audio as you would in any normal interpreting
assignment, and take notes using as many abbreviations and symbols as
possible.
2. Record your interpretations using your recording device.
3. Listen to your recording and compare your rendition to the original audio.
4. Rate yourself using the scale 1 to 4.
1= Poor, 2=Needs more practice, 3= Satisfactory, 4=Exceptional Job
If you scored 1 or 2, please repeat the exercise.

Exercise #4:

Watch the following video about The UN & Refugee Crisis to practice your note-taking
techniques. (click link below)
[Link]
Video length: 74 seconds

1. Do not enable the close caption feature and take notes by just listening to
the audio, as if you were on the phone.
2. Take notes using as many abbreviations and symbols as possible.
3. Stop the video.
4. Read your notes. Record your interpretations using your recording device.
5. Listen to your recording and compare your rendition to the original audio.
6. Watch the video again, now with the close caption feature enabled and
compare your results.
7. Rate yourself using the scale 1 to 4.
1= Poor, 2=Needs more practice, 3= Satisfactory, 4=Exceptional Job
If you scored 1 or 2, please repeat the exercise.

Further reading:

One of the most frequently cited works is Rozan, J.F. (1956) “Note-taking in
Consecutive Interpreting”. You can download the paper here:
[Link]