Study Skills Core Modules
Note-Taking
Note-taking Method #3 - the Summarising Pyramid
This method of note-taking will help you to learn how to reduce large chunks of text – most likely from a book, webpage, journal article or a collection of multiple sources – into simple summaries. It’s easy to do by yourself, but it also works really well as a collaborative technique (pair or group work, for example).
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There are two types of Summarising Pyramid - the 'bottom-up' method and the 'top-down' method.
'Bottom-Up' Symmarising Pyramids
This method of note-taking will help you to learn how to reduce large chunks of text – most likely from a book, webpage, journal article or a collection of multiple sources – into simple summaries. It’s easy to do by yourself, but it also works really well as a collaborative technique (pair or group work, for example).
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Method #1:
You can use this template as a guideline. You will need:
- several pieces of paper – scrap paper or card is ideal, as long as it has one clean side to work on, or you might choose to use different coloured paper/card for each stage of the pyramid.
- lots of space to work in, so you may choose to spread out on the floor or a clear table.
- highlighter pens or felt tips
- your article, text or webpage
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Alternatively, you could complete this method in a Word or PowerPoint document. A template example can be found here, but you can also make your own. For the walk-through examples below, I used PowerPoint and added text into Text Boxes and Shapes.
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1. Read through the text and highlight the main ideas:
2. Starting at the base of the pyramid, using short sentences or bullet points (and preferably your own words), write down summaries of the points, facts and useful quotes you have highlighted.
If you are starting by making the notes all on one page, try to leave a good gap between each new point and only use one side of the page (when you have made as many notes as you think you need, cut up the separate points). The best method is to use separate cards or boxes on a page for each new fact.
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3. Sort the facts into related piles (this might be based on the order they appear in the article, or linked topic points, for example).
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4. Now come up with 2 or 3 subheadings that sum up each of your piles of facts. These subheadings should be written at the top of the next level of cards. Beneath these subheadings, try and write a short summary of the facts in the pile below.
5. Once the subheading cards (or main ideas of the text) are in place, you should be able to provide a short summary of what the whole article is about beneath a main topic heading in the card at the very top of your pyramid.
This bottom-up Summarising Pyramid approach is good for practicing how to reduce an unknown text, extracting only the information you really need from it, so it is perfect for source analysis.
Top-Down Symmarising Pyramid
The other approach to the Summarising Pyramid is to work from the top-down. This approach is best if you want to create a summary sheet on a topic you may already be familiar with and produces a good revision sheet at the end.
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Method #2:
All you will need for this is this template, which can either be printed out and handwritten, or typed up.
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1. Open the template.
2. Write in the main key topic at the top of the pyramid.
3. Explain in one or two sentences below what the topic is about.
4. using bullet points or short sentences, note down the main ideas behind the key topic.
5. Fill in the essential details below. These might be, for example, names of practitioners and their research, essential timeline dates, or for and against arguments.
6. Complete a short, overall summary of the topic at the bottom of the page.
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Both Summarising Pyramid methods are great ways to learn how to condense your work into a single, re-useable sheet of notes, perfect for revision or planning.
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Quick Activity
You can upload your own example of using either a bottom-up or top-down summarising pyramid. You can either upload a scanned copy of a handwritten version, or create a version using the templates.
| Upload your completed example here |