What Section 4 demands
Section 4 is a single academic talk with no pauses for other speakers. The pace is steady but dense. Good notes must be quick, readable, and faithful. Aim to capture structure, not every word.

Jargon in plain English

• Abbreviation: a shortened form like gov for government.
• Symbol: a visual sign that replaces a phrase, for example → for leads to.
• Cue: a word that signals structure, for example firstly or in contrast.
• Signposting: the speaker’s road map, for example today I will cover.
• Chunk: one idea unit, often a sentence or bullet.

The 3 layer page layout

1. Skeleton: headings for parts of the talk, left margin only.
2. Key lines: one line per idea with abbreviations and symbols.
3. Micro data: numbers, names, and examples tucked to the right with brackets.

Sketch this before the audio starts: three wide bands titled Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. Leave two empty lines between bands for last minute adds.

A safe symbol set
Cause →, effect ⇒, contrast vs, add +, reduce ↓, increase ↑, equal =, approximately ≈, leads to →, because b/c, for example e.g., therefore so, advantage adv, disadvantage disad, problem prob, solution soln, result res, important ★, definition defn, question. Use only 15 to 20 so recall stays fast.

Abbreviation rules that keep meaning

• Remove vowels from long words: env for environment, dev for development, educ for education, comm for community.
• Keep common clusters: gov, uni, tech, ind for industry, pop for population, res for research.
• Mark roles: S for student, T for teacher, mgr for manager, ptcp for participant.
• Keep consistency. One word, one form across the page.

Numbers and ratios without clutter

• Write units once in the margin: % or kg or yrs.
• Use round numbers unless exactness is the point: ≈20k, ~2 yrs.
• Ratios with colon: 3:1.
• Trends with arrows: sales ↑ 15% in 5 yrs.

Signposting cues to catch
Openers: first, to begin, overview. Development: next, in addition, however, on the other hand, by contrast. Ends: to sum up, finally, in conclusion, the main point is. When you hear these, start a new line or a new band.

Two timing habits

• Write on the beat: one idea per breath.
• Leave a blank gap under any partial point. Return in the recap.

Example 1 — Social policy lecture (worked notes)
Topic summary: A lecture contrasts two anti littering strategies and reports outcomes.

Notes you could write:

Part 1 defn + scope

• littr = waste in public spc. main sources: takeaway pkgs, flyers, cig ends
• costs: clean up $↑, tourism image ↓

Part 2 strat A inform

• posters + school visits
• res: awareness ↑ but littr only ↓ 5% in 6 mo
• prob: msg seen then ignored

Part 3 strat B incent

• dep-return for btls/cans (10 tk)
• res: recyc ↑ 35%, streets cleaner esp wknds
• disad: admin cost ↑, small shops compln

Part 4 mix + rec

• mix works best: keep inform + dep-return
• add comm clean day monthly ⇒ social norm
• concl: aim = sustain bhvr change not 1-off

Why this works: each band holds one part, arrows show logic, numbers are compact, and disadvantages are marked so balance is visible.

Example 2 — Science summary talk (worked notes)
Topic summary: A talk explains sleep stages and links them to memory.

Notes you could write:

Part 1 overview

• sleep stages: N1 N2 N3 REM
• cycle ≈90 min repeat 4 to 6x

Part 2 N3 (deep)

• growth hormone rel.
• phys repair ↑
• mem type: facts? mixed evidence

Part 3 REM

• brain actv ↑, dreams
• mem type: skills proc mem ↑
• study: piano seq better after REM nap

Part 4 tips

• reg sched, low light at 10 pm
• caffeine cut by 2 pm
• short nap 20 min ok, long nap enter N3 → groggy

Why this works: fixed labels for stages, arrows for effects, and micro data aligned right.

Mini case — Rafi from Dhaka
Problem: Rafi wrote long words and lost the next sentence.
Intervention: he built a 20 item personal list and drilled it with a metronome. He practised one line per second while hearing a transcript at slow speed.
Result: note density rose from 35 to 60 meaningful tokens per minute, correct answers moved from 6 to 9 out of 10 in two weeks.

Measurable practice plan

• Three 12 minute sessions weekly.
• Per session, choose one lecture and do a shadow notes run at 0.85 speed, then at normal speed.
• Track tokens per minute, correct answers, and missed cues. Improve one metric by 10 percent weekly.
• Once a week, rewrite notes into full sentences for 5 minutes to test readability.

Common mistakes

• Over expanding. Writing sentences instead of symbols.
• Inconsistent forms. gov then govt then gov again. Pick one.
• No structure. Notes in a long column with no bands.
• Missing contrast cues. However signals a new line and possibly a likely test item.
• Copying numbers without units.

Edge cases and safe fixes

• Dense terminology: mark defn once then use the abbreviation.
• Two lists back to back: split the page in two columns and keep symmetry.
• Unexpected example: tag with e.g. and place to the right so it does not break the main chain.
• Audio surge faster speaker: switch to symbols only for ten seconds, then expand in the recap.

Tips and tricks

• Prepare your page with three bands before the audio.
• Limit your symbol set so recall stays automatic.
• Use a star for the lecturer’s final claim. Section 4 often tests that line.
• Say the abbreviations softly in your head once. Hearing them helps retention.

To avoid

• New abbreviations mid test.
• Fancy icons you cannot draw fast.
• Writing every example fully. Capture only the function or result.
• Arrows that point nowhere. Always write a target after →.

Glossary
Abbreviation: shortened form to write faster.
Symbol: sign that replaces a phrase.
Cue: word that signals structure.
Signposting: guide words for the talk’s order.
Chunk: one unit of meaning.
Token: any written item in your notes.

Next steps
Build a 20 item personal list tonight. Tomorrow test yourself by summarising a 2 minute news clip using only that list. On day three, add five discipline words for your favorite topic and keep the rest stable.

1. Actionable closing — Cheatsheet

Core symbols
→ cause or leads to
⇒ conclusion
↑ increase ↓ decrease
≈ about = equals ± plus or minus
vs contrast + add so therefore

Abbrev bank
gov, uni, dept, educ, res, ind, env, comm, tech, pop, cost, benefit, risk, policy, prog program, behav behavior, equip equipment, info information.

Layout steps

1. Draw three bands: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
2. Leave two blank lines between parts.
3. New line at cues like however or finally.
4. Numbers on the right with units.
5. Star the main claim.

Micro conversions
because → b/c
for example → e.g.
as a result → ⇒
compared with → vs
increase by 15 percent in 2 years → ↑15% in 2 yrs

Quality check
Can you read back your notes as full sentences in 2 minutes. If not, reduce symbols or add missing verbs.

CTA: Print this cheatsheet, then do a two run drill on one lecture: slow speed for clean symbols, normal speed for density. Log tokens per minute, correct items, and missed cues. Replace any symbol you did not use with one you did.