Note-making
STEP 2
Read the passage again asking yourself questions and answering
them as you read.
What is the passage about? — Pheasants
Where found? — Asia; particularly India (1/3 of total population)
Origin? — Himalayas
Time? — Long before Indo-Gangetic plain settlements.
Which group of birds? — Order: Galliformes (game birds);
Family — Phasinidae
Rationalised 2023-24
NOTE-MAKING 77
How many species? — 51
What is the source of information? — ESI chart
What is the purpose of the ESI chart? — Create awareness
among school eco-clubs under NGC
Which is the best known member? — Peacock, India’s
national bird
STEP 3
With the help of the answers note down the main points. Write
the points without full forms of the verbs.
Pheasants — shy birds with bright plumage found largely in
Asia, especially India
Origin in the Himalayas and spread in China, Myanmar, South
and SE Asia.
Order: Galliformes — game birds; Family: Phasinidae
No. of species: 51 (ESI chart)
Purpose of ESI chart — Creating awareness among school
eco-clubs under NGC.
Peacock — India’s national bird, member of this family,
represented in Indian art, culture and folklore.
Notice
Two or three related ideas can be combined into one point.
Use of colons
Use of the long dash
STEP 4
Now go over the facts and number them.
This is only to analyse the process of note-making. With
practice you will be able to reach Step 4 immediately, going
through Steps 2 and 3 mentally.
Rationalised 2023-24
78 HORNBILL
STEP 5
Finally we go over the facts and number them again.
Read carefully the characteristics of good notes which are given
below.
1. (i) Notes should be short. They should identify the main
point.
(ii) They list information in what is called ‘note form’.
(iii) They are written only in phrases; not sentences.
2. (i) Information is logically divided and subdivided by the
use of figures/letters.
(ii) The divisions are made like this:
Main sections : 1, 2, 3, etc.
Sub-sections : (i), (ii), (iii), etc.
Sub-sub-sections : (a), (b), (c), etc.
3. Another common method is the ‘decimal’ system.
Main sections : 1, 2, 3, etc.
Sub-sections : 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, etc.
Sub-sub-sections : 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3, 1.2.1,
1.2.2, etc.
4. Abbreviations and symbols are freely used. Articles,
prepositions and conjunctions are omitted.
5. Notes must make sense when they are read again otherwise
they will be of no use.
Now read the following text.
The energy stored in coal and petroleum originally came to
the earth from the sun. The bulk of the present-day supplies
was laid down some 200 to 600 million years ago, when
tropical conditions were widespread. Lush, swampy forests
produced huge trees; warm coastal seas swarmed with
microscopic forms of life. When these organisms died, much
of their tissue was recycled as it is today — through
scavenging and decay. But a significant amount of dead
plant and animal material was covered with mud, which
prevented complete decomposition.
Rationalised 2023-24
NOTE-MAKING 79
With the passage of time, layer upon layer of the fine
sediment was deposited over the once-living material; the
sheer weight turned the sediments to rock. Sandwiched
between the layers, both coal and petroleum were produced
and preserved under pressure. Coal was formed mostly of
giant fern-like plants that have only small counterparts
today. Coal may still be forming here and there on earth,
but conditions are not right for the production of significant
quantities.
1. Underline the important words and phrases.
2. Write down points without fully expanded verbs, numbering
them as you do.
3. Combine related points.
4. Group related points.
5. Change the verbs to nouns and begin points with them.
6. Number the points.
After you have finished check with the notes given below.
Storage of energy from sun in coal and petroleum
Deposit of bulk of supplies 200 – 600 million years ago
Teeming life in tropical conditions
Death of life forms, leading to recycling through decay
Prevention of total decomposition by considerable dead
plants, animals being covered with mud
Solidification of sediment leading to rock-formation
over time
Production of coal, petroleum by compression of organic
matter between rocks
Unsuitability of present-day conditions for coal-formation
