Note-making Format
Taking notes is a method of organising and summarising data from multiple sources.
The following components make up the standard Note-Making format:
TITLE: The title of your notes should reflect their main subject matter.
SOURCE: Identify the notes’ source, such as the book, article, or lecture, in the text.
CURRENT DATE: When taking notes, be sure to include the current date.
TITLES & SUB TITLES: Take advantage of headings and subheadings to structure your
notes and facilitate later research.
USE BULLETS: Use bullet points to highlight key points and specifics in a list. Use simple,
direct language, and zero in on the most important ideas rather than trying to include
everything.
USE ABBREVIATIONS: When taking notes, abbreviations can help you save time and
space. Use “w/” instead of “with” or “b/c” instead of “because,” etc.
HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANT POINTS: Utilize highlighting to draw attention to specific
points or single out specific pieces of information that are crucial to your understanding of
the whole.
USE DIAGRAMS/VISUAL AIDS: Use visual aids, such as flowcharts or graphs, to break
down and internalise information that might otherwise be difficult to grasp and retain.
SUMMARISE: Write a brief paragraph or two summarising the main ideas and information
from the notes. This is a great way to quickly review and recall the most crucial points.
REVIEW: Regularly reviewing your notes is an excellent way to ensure that you retain the
most crucial information from the course.
Layout of a note-
(Title)
[Link]
1.1 (sub-points)
1.2
1.3
[Link]
2.1
2.2
2.3
3. Heading
3.1
3.2
3.2.1 (sub-sub points)
3.2.2
4. Heading
4.1
4.2
Key to Abbreviations
1
2
3
4
5
Summary
(Heading)
–Body–
Points to remember- Note-Making and Summarising
Effective Note-making Strategies
Select only the relevant data and include only the essential phrases from the passage.
Try to use a minimum amount of words. Complete sentences would not be accepted as notes.
Thus, the usage of full sentences must be avoided.
Only really important examples need to be included.
Eliminate the use of auxiliary verbs, prepositions etc.
It is necessary to give a suitable title to notes and maintain proper indentation.
It is mandatory to make at least four headings and subheadings.
The summary should be brief and should be made using notes prepared. It is important that
one keeps in mind the word limit of the summary and strictly adheres to the notes.
It is mandatory to include at least four abbreviations in your notes. Add a full stop after each
abbreviation to make it clear for the reader. They should be common and easily identifiable.
For example- “carbs.” for carbohydrates
It is necessary to prepare a key to abbreviations (minimum four) and enclose it within a box.
The presentation of this writing skill is of utmost importance.
Note Making Example 1: Read the passage given below:
BALANCING THE SCALES
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making a difference to how legal work is done, but it isn’t the
threat it is made out to be. AI is making impressive progress and shaking up things all over
the world today. The assumption that advancements in technology and artificial intelligence
will render any profession defunct is just that, an assumption and a false one. The only
purpose this assumption serves is creating mass panic and hostility towards embracing
technology that is meant to make our lives easier.
Let us understand what this means explicitly for the legal world. The ambit of AI includes
recognizing human speech and objects, making decisions based on data, and translating
languages. Tasks that can be defined as ‘search-and-find’ type can be performed by AI.
Introducing AI to this profession will primarily be for the purpose of automating mundane,
tedious tasks that require negligible human intelligence. The kind of artificial intelligence that
is employed by industries in the current scene, when extended to the law will enable quicker
services at a lower price. AI is meant to automate a number of tasks that take up precious
working hours lawyers could be devoted to tasks that require discerning, empathy, and trust-
qualities that cannot be replicated by even the most sophisticated form of AI. The legal
profession is one of the oldest professions in the world. Thriving over 1000 years; trust,
judgement, and diligence are the pillars of this profession. The most important pillar is the
relationship of trust between a lawyer and clients, which can only be achieved through human
connection and interaction.
While artificial intelligence can be useful in scanning and organizing documents pertaining to
a case, it cannot perform higher-level tasks such as sharp decisionmaking, relationship-
building with valuable clients and writing legal briefs, advising clients, and appearing in
court. These are over and above the realm of computerization.
The smooth proceeding of a case is not possible without sound legal research. While
presenting cases lawyers need to assimilate information in the form of legal research by
referring to a number of relevant cases to find those that will favour their client’s motion.
Lawyers are even required to thoroughly know the opposing stand and supporting legal
arguments they can expect to prepare a watertight defence strategy. AI, software that operates
on natural language enables electronic discovery of information relevant to a case, contract
reviews, and automation generation of legal documents.
AI utilizes big-data analytics which enables visualization of case data. It also allows for
creation of a map of the cases which were cited in previous cases and their resulting verdicts,
as per the website Towards Data Science. The probability of a positive outcome of a case can
be predicted by leveraging predictive analytics with machine learning. This is advantageous
to firms as they can determine the return on investment in litigation and whether an
agreement or arbitration should be considered.
(a) On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, make notes on it using headings
and subheadings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary- minimum four) and a
format you consider suitable. Also supply an appropriate title to it. (5)
(b) Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words. (3)
Artificial Intelligence: Not a threat
1. Not a threat
1.1 is of help
1.2 makes life easier
1.3 no profession defunct
2. [Link] help legal field
2.1 [Link] speech and object
2.2 making decisions based on data
2.3 translates langs.
2.4 do search and find tasks
3. AI. cannot perform high level tasks like
3.1 writing legal briefs
3.2 advising clients
3.3 apprng in courts
3.4 sharp decision making
4. Function of AI.
4.1 collates data
4.2 predicts probable outcomes
4.3 tells return on invest.
4.4 considering agreement or arbitration
Key to Abbreviations
Abbreviations Words
AI Artificial Intelligence
recog. recognises
langs. languages
apprng. appearing
invt. investment
Summary
Artificial Intelligence: Not a threat
Artificial Intelligence is not a threat but makes life easier especially in the legal field. It
cannot perform certain high-level tasks like writing legal briefs, advising clients, making
sharp decisions and appearing in courts but it can collate data, aid research and decisions
based on data. It can recognize human speech and translate languages. It can also predict
probable outcomes, tell return on investment, consider agreement or arbitration and is thus
advantageous to legal firms.