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Taking notes is an important part of learning because writing is a good way of remembering. But, what should you write? Do you write every word? Fortunately the answer is no. Written notes should summarize the key points, not capture every word. Ask yourself this: What is the most important concept? What words or techniques are new to me? 
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Sometimes you may find it useful to hear the text of Essential Physics read out loud, in order to learn new vocabulary or to better study the content of the book. The e-Book provides a button at the bottom of each paragraph that allows you to hear the entire text. Try it: Choose a paragraph in this chapter, listen to it, summarize it with one written sentence, and speak the sentence to a study partner and check your agreement.
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Many students find it useful to outline the important concepts in the book or in a verbal class presentation. Essential Physics has been written with “one idea per page,” so the page titles can easily be used as main headings in an outline. Every paragraph on a page of Essential Physics also has its own short title that can form the subheadings in an outline. Vocabulary words, key illustrations, and equations can form additional subheadings for your outline.
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A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Science class is full of illustrations: diagrams, graphs, images, and even animations! These visual elements are not just for decoration; they have meaning. Choose any diagram in this book and ask yourself what message the diagram is trying to convey. Try writing down a one–sentence summary of the main point conveyed by each illustration you encounter—preferably using science words!
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What should you do if you need more information or don’t understand a concept? Your classmates and teachers are some of your most important resources. If you have a question while studying after school, write it down to ask in class or to ask a friend. Try to use appropriate science vocabulary. Preparing a question to ask in class can help you—and other classmates—to grasp difficult concepts. It is even a good idea to write down a question or two every time you study!
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Try this activity with a study partner. Choose an illustration in this chapter. Independently, you and your partner should try to summarize it with one written sentence. When you are both finished, speak the sentence out loud and see how closely you agree on the content summary. Jointly discuss how to improve the summary.
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Answers will vary. Check your answers by talking to another pair of study partners, and see if they agree with your summary! 
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