NOTE TAKING
WHERE ARE YOU NOW?
Taking notes during lectures is a difficult task for many college students. Students must learn how to listen, select the appropriate information, then write down that information. Developing good note-taking skills takes both time and practice. Learning and practicing effective strategies for how to take lecture notes will help you become a more successful student.
To assess your note-taking skills, take a few minutes to consider each of the following statements, then answer yes or no accordingly.
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YES |
NO |
| 1. |
Do you review and edit your notes within twenty-four hours after each of your classes? |
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| 2. |
Do you try to write down exactly what your professor says in class? |
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| 3. |
Do you separate the main points from supporting information in your notes? |
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| 4. |
Are you able to read and understand your notes when you study for your exam? |
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| 5. |
Do your notes include Roman numerals, capital and small letters, and numbers? |
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| 6. |
Do you tend to write down only important or key words when you take notes? |
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| 7. |
Do you review your notes by reciting them out loud? |
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| 8. |
Do you tend to miss a lot of information when you take notes? |
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| 9. |
Do you rely on a tape recorder instead of taking notes in some of your classes? |
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| 10. |
Do you read your textbook assignment before you go to your lecture class? |
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____ |
Give yourself one point for each "yes" answer to questions 1, 3, 4, 7, and 10, and one point for each "no" answer to questions 2, 5, 6, 8, and 9. Now total up your points. A low score indicates that you need some help in note-taking. A high score indicates that you are already using many good note-taking strategies.
SOURCE: Van Blerkom, D. L. (1994). College Study Skills: Becoming a Strategic Learner. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, pp. 81-82.
HINTS FOR EFFECTIVE NOTE TAKING
BEFORE THE LECTURE
Attend every class. This is important for a number of reasons:
You will hear the lectures and take notes first-hand.
You will receive correct and complete instructions for assignments.
You will receive all supplementary materials.
You will show the instructor that you are interested.
Read all textbook assignments and complete all assigned homework before class.
Arrive at class a few minutes early. This will give you time to organize yourself before the lecture begins.
Go to class with a positive attitude. Be determined to pay attention, show an interest, and participate in the class.
Sit in the front of the room and away from friends, windows, doors, and other distractions. That way you will be able to hear and see everything. Avoid sitting in the back of the classroom.
Tend to physical needs before class begins. Visit the restroom. Avoid going to class hungry or tired. Dress appropriately so that you won't be too hot or too cold.
Take all materials to every class. Carry all books, workbooks, notebooks, calculators, etc. Also, bring a supply of pens and pencils.
Have materials ready before class starts.
Review the course syllabus prior to each class. This should give you an ideas of what the topic of the lecture will be as well as what lectures and assignments lie ahead in the near future.
Before the lecture begins, briefly review the notes from the previous class so you will be fully prepared to resume where you left off.
DURING THE LECTURE
1. Use a separate 8½-by-11 inch notebook for each of your classes.
2. Take notes in pen; pencil tends to smear. Avoid light-colored inks, which are difficult to read.
3. Begin each day's notes with a heading including the date, course name/number, and the lecture topic.
4. Write legibly and on one side of the page only.
5. Be brief yet concise. Use as few words as possible. Do not try to write down everything the teacher says word for word; instead, summarize what he or she says in the lecture and put the information into your own words.
6. Take notes in outline form using a system of numbering and indentation. Organize your notes so that major thoughts stand out clearly (e.g., start them at the left margin, underline them, write in all capital letters, etc.). List details indented under major thoughts in an orderly fashion.
Many lecturers will give signals to alert students to major points and/or supporting details. For example:
· Sometimes a teacher will announce straightforwardly that a concept or idea is especially important.
· To signify a major point, the instructor may say, "Now I'm going to discuss . . . ," “My next topic is . . . ," or "This important point. . . . "
· To signify supporting details, the instructor may say, "There are four types . . . ,” "The three main effects of . . . ," "Note the diagram on page . . . ," or "The next reason shows. . . ."
· A pause during a lecture signals to the student that the previous point, the next point, or both are important and should be included in the notes.
· Repetition of any point signals that this information is important. Include it in your notes.
· An instructor may change the tone or pitch of his or her voice to signify a major point.
· A change in the rate of speed at which the instructor is talking may also alert you to major ideas/supporting details.
Stay alert to such clues in lectures.
7. Leave a wide margin on the side of each page so that you can make any necessary additions to your notes.
8. Copy down everything that is written on the chalkboard. Oftentimes you will see this material again at test time.
9. Develop your own "shorthand system" of abbreviations and symbols. Refer to the examples at the end of this booklet.
10. Include examples in your notes. Examples are meant to help you understand information and concepts. You may want to have these stand out from the rest of the text of your notes by indicating examples with EX.
11. If an instructor presents a fact or idea that is unclear, put a question mark in the margin. Later, ask your instructor or another student about this.
12. When you are aware that you have missed information during the lecture, leave some blank space in your notes. Be sure to get this missing information at a later time.
13. Don't be a clock-watcher. Keep alert and attentive in class by entering into class discussions, predicting likely test questions, comparing lecture and textbook content, etc.
AFTER THE LECTURE
1. Review your notes as soon as possible after each class. If you wait too long, you won't remember the lecture well enough to make any necessary additions or corrections in your notes.
2. Read through your notes and fill in any missing information that you can recall from memory. You may be able to add a few words to further clarify a point, fill in additional details, or even add information that you didn't have time to record during the lecture. You can also ask your instructor, refer to your textbook, look at a friend's notes, or listen to a recording (if you taped the lecture) to help fill in the gaps in your notes.
3. As you go through your notes, also check for accuracy.
4. Clarify any material that is illegible or confusing.
5. If your notes are disorganized, rewrite them to improve their organization and make them more useful when you are ready to study for an exam.
6. When reorganizing your notes, it may be helpful to restructure some of your notes into visual displays like maps, diagrams, or charts.
7. As you read your notes, underline, highlight, or otherwise emphasize important points that you will want to give special attention to when you study the material later for an examination.
8. Compare your notes to those of other people in the class to make sure yours are complete.
9. Add questions in the margins of your notebook. These can be questions you can use to help yourself review for exams, possible test questions, or even questions about the material that you want to ask your instructor.
10. Add information from what you read in your course textbooks to your notes.
11. Spend a short period of time each week in a quick review of your notes. You will find that you can retain most of what you have learned by using this method of repeated review.
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