How to take notes on an AP history textbook?

<p>Hello everyone,</p>

<p>So this is my first AP class that I've taken and as I begin to embark upon the Summer work (which entails a fair amount of textbook reading as well as other work) I realize that I have no clue how to actually read and take notes on this textbook. My friends in taking this course, also their first AP, have simply said just write down the important stuff which is obviously helping out. What exactly is considered noteworthy? Is there a best way to take notes? I just need a lot of help in any way I can get it.</p>

<p>PS- The course is AP European History and the textbook is A History of Western Society (AP Edition of course)</p>

<p>Kind of urgent as well if anyone was wondering as I have now less than three weeks to get this all done </p>

<p>I’ve taken AP Government (4) and AP US History (5), so you could say that I’m familiar with AP History textbooks…
Note taking is pretty personal, in that you’ll find out what works for you as you get more and more familiar with taking notes. I used to just write random crap on a page, but now I do a pretty complex outline.
What I would suggest is trying a couple of different methods, seeing which you like the best, and go from there. My personal favorite is outlining, which, if you don’t know what it is, I would suggest that you look up. Depending on your computer (I’m assuming that you’re planning on typing your notes), you’ll probably have a default outline somewhere in Word or Pages, and I can help you with that, as I am familiar with both. Outlining is basically when you list a big main topic, followed by sub-details, followed by sub-sub details…you get the picture. Not all “big detail” needs the same amount of sub detail.
Another style of taking notes is in a Cornell Note format, which is taught in many schools, so you may already be familiar with it. I don’t prefer it, and it is harder to type on the computer, so if you are more interested in using this style of notes, I would maybe suggest that you look up how to do that.</p>

<p>In terms of what is important, or what is not, I’ll just provide you with an example from the AMSCO AP US History book…</p>

<p>Lawyers: Often viewed as talkative troublemakers, lawyers were not
commonly seen in the colonial courts of the 1600s. In that period, individuals
would argue their own cases before a colonial magistrate. During the 1700s,
however, as trade expanded and legal problems became more complex, the
need for expert assistance in court became apparent. The most able lawyers
formed a bar (committee or board), which set rules and standards for aspiring
young lawyers. Lawyers gained further respect in the 1760s and 1770s when
they argued for colonial rights. John Adams, James Otis, and Patrick Henry
were three such lawyers whose legal arguments would ultimately provide the intellectual underpinnings of the American Revolution.</p>

<p>Clearly we don’t need all of the information in the passage. Who cares if lawyers were talkative troublemakers? But as we continue to read through this, we should note the major themes and points. Here are a few…</p>

<ol>
<li>In the 1600’s, individuals argue their own case before a colonial magistrate.</li>
<li>In 1700’s, lawyers became more popular because trade expanded, so they formed a bar.</li>
<li>Lawyers gained more respect by arguing for colonial rights.</li>
</ol>

<p>See? I just reduced a paragraph into 3 sentences. You should note that the above isn’t an outline format.
You need to learn to think in “Is this really necessary?” I know that this is going to be hard at first, but it’s a learned way of thinking that you will pick up on. You also need to keep in mind that CollegeBoard can’t test on little details, because how can they regulate what little details everyone learns? The big focus with AP History courses is on major themes and trends, though you will need to know some details of each time period.
If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to ask them! I’m here to help. :)</p>

<p>I had the same exact text book as you last year. I really like that book. For notes I usually tried to shorten a paragraph down so it would only take up 2-3 lines of notebook paper. The book is really good on getting straight to the point, but try to eliminate some added details that might not be that important. Hard to say what isn’t considered noteworthy, I don’t have to book right now so I can’t give an example on how I would shorten down a paragraph.</p>

<p>Ok, I know when I was in APUSH, nobody took their own notes. I can recommend a source for outlines though, which are very helpful and we used a lot. <a href=“http://www.course-notes.org/”>http://www.course-notes.org/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Thanks so much everyone I was really freaking out!!</p>

<p>As OP said, notetaking is a personal process. What works for me is reading each section. Look at the title closely and realize what your main focus is. Then look for what is exactly related to that title. Jot/type down the points (main ones will typically be in the beginning of a paragraph) & jot down necessary sub points/key terms. It seems really daunting at first, but you will get the hang of if. If you really want to tell whether or not you are on track, get a review book or find one online and see if you know anything about the main themes/topics you need to prep for in order to ace the exam. Just realize that you do not need to virtually copy down everything and that when you look back at the title and ask yourself questions about it , you should remember some key info. The purpose of note taking is condensation.</p>