Note Taking Strategies
- Before Going to Class
- Before Class Begins
- During Lecture
- After Class
- Other Considerations
- Appendix I
- Appendix II
Before Going to Class
- Keep your coursework organized - have a separate notebook and folder for each class.
- Utilize an assignment book or daily planner.
- Create daily to-do lists.
Before Class Begins
- Go to class! This cannot be overemphasized. When you miss a class, you miss presentation of what the instructor considers most important.
- Sit in front of the class so you won't have the chance to doze off or be distracted by other students; it is also easier to ask questions and see the board.
- While waiting for the class to begin, review your notes from the previous meeting to ease the transition into today's lecture.
- Maintain an alert position, don't sprawl or slouch.
- Date your notes.
- Draw a line down the right side of your notebook page - approximately 1/4 of the way in - to leave blank for later use when reviewing your notes. (See Appendix I)
- Consider using yellow notebook paper instead of white - it is easier on your eyes.
During Lecture
- Maintain eye contact with your instructor; listen carefully to what the instructor has to say and ask questions when things aren't clear.
- Learn to recognize important information. Listen for any emphasis or repetition the instructor may make. Instructors often speak louder, slower, and repeat essential points.
- Anything the instructor takes time to write on the board or overhead should be considered important.
- Pay special attention to the beginning and the ending of the lecture. The instructor will often preview or review the main points.
- Within reason, write down as much as you can. You can revise notes later. It is better to have too much information than not enough.
- Focus on main points and include details that support the main points.
- Write down examples the instructor uses; they will help you at a later point to understand concepts you are reviewing.
- Skip lines or leave visual breaks between topics, definitions, and explanations.
- Use abbreviations but be consistent. If you create your own abbreviations, keep a list of them so you know exactly what they stand for. (See Appendix II)
- Don't worry about spelling or writing in complete sentences, you can revise later.
- Write as legibly as you can.
- Try taking notes on only one side of the paper, it is neater and will facilitate later review.
- Don't be a clock-watcher. Wear a watch so you're not tempted to look around the room for the time.
- Practice makes perfect! Your ability to take notes will improve with repeated practice of correct technique.
After Class
- Review your notes as soon as possible - after class or later that night is best. Memory loss occurs quickly - twenty minutes of review of the same day is worth sixty minutes of review the following week.
- Use these twenty minutes to revise, organize, and identify main points - write key ideas, important terms, and definitions in the right margin.
- Recite and talk to yourself about what you are learning - we retain more when we mentally digest ideas and rephrase them in our own words.
Other Considerations
- Discover what works best for other people; single out one or two fellow students, preferably with better grades, and compare notes.
- Find a study buddy. At minimum, have phone numbers of two people in class to contact if you miss a lecture.
- Get together with classmates and pool your notes. That way you can be sure you have everything down, it is also an effective way for many to prepare for an exam.
- Try to figure out where the instructor gets the lecture material. Some instructors get their material from the text, others from recommended readings and references. If you can't figure it out, ask another student who has already taken the class, or ask the instructor.
- Don't be afraid to go to the instructor if you are having problems with something or you don't fully understand what is going on.
Appendix I
Appendix II
Leave out vowels:
