Taking effective notes does not mean recording or transcribing a lesson. It is an active part of the learning process, which requires you to quickly process the content of a lesson and write down the main elements following a method that favors your learning style. After preparing for a lesson, optimize the way you take notes. The following steps, when combined with reviewing and reordering what you've written, can help you improve your performance.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Prepare for the Lesson
Step 1. Complete the readings and assignments before the day's lesson
Teachers assign pages to study so that you have some knowledge on the subject that will be discussed in class. If you come to the lesson prepared, you will already know many of the secondary details. At that point you can focus on the fundamental concepts.
Read also the notes of the previous lessons, to remember the last topics covered
Step 2. Check the internet for lesson plans and course materials
If your teacher offers PowerPoint slides or even a simple summary of the next lesson, use them to your advantage. They would be like the foundations of the house, which you will complete and "furnish" with your notes.
You may be tempted to print the lesson plan or slides and avoid taking notes or just write something here and there on the papers. The best choice, however, is to use those materials to give structure to what you write. This is the most effective way to process information - precisely why you are taking notes
Step 3. Consider the possible pros and cons of taking notes by typing during a lesson
Many students are better at typing than writing, but there are reasons to prefer the traditional pen and paper method. Studies indicate that students who take notes by hand find it easier to understand and remember lesson material than those who type. Writing on a laptop it is easy to enter "transcription" mode: type in everything that is said instead of actively trying to understand what are the most important things to write. Writing by hand can also promote concentration.
- On the other hand, using a laptop or other electronic device makes it easier to format, save, edit, share and read notes (without worries about handwriting).
- The tools that can help you take notes on laptops are almost endless, such as: "clipboard layout" formatting in Microsoft Word; programs that link a recording of the lessons to the notes; clipboard organizer programs that allow you to combine materials of different types and formats, such as email and PDF; collaborative note-taking platforms that allow you to write in real time together with other students. These solutions can be great for you, or they can be a distraction. Only you can understand which strategy you should adopt.
- Some professors and institutes prohibit the use of laptops in the classroom, so don't underestimate the ability to know how to take notes by hand.
Step 4. Sit in the front rows of the class
Choose a spot where you won't be distracted, to pay more attention and take more precise notes. You should sit where you can look at the whole board, and where you can hear and see the professor well. Arrive in the classroom a few minutes before class starts to secure yourself one of the best seats.
If you are distracted by noisy classmates, an air conditioning duct or a reflection on the projector, move quietly to another place - only if you can do it without disturbing the class. Otherwise, do your best for this time and remember to switch banks for the next lesson
Step 5. Make sure you have everything you need to take notes
If you write by hand, bring extra pens, pencils, and paper with you. If you are using a laptop or other electronic device, make sure it is charged and ready as soon as class begins.
Some people prefer to use loose sheets so they can lay them out on the floor or table when they study, while others find notebooks to be neater
Step 6. Identify each sheet with the date and topic of the lesson
Make sure that all your notes are well cataloged, so you can find them easily in the future. Write the date and topic of the lesson at the top of each page.
If you take multiple pages of notes in a lesson, add the page numbers as well. You will need it to keep the papers in order
Step 7. Decide what format to use
The tidier your notes are at the time of writing, the easier it will be to understand, review and study them. You can choose the draft format, especially if the lesson is structured or presented that way. This format provides a title for each section; under it write the main ideas in a bulleted list and the secondary ideas in indented points. This solution is much more effective than writing each new concept as a separate point.
Consider that not all professors articulate their lessons according to main topics and insights. You may need to rearrange what you wrote after class
Part 2 of 4: Optimize Your Notes
Step 1. Remember that taking notes does not mean writing down a lesson
To get better at writing notes, you need to learn to "actively listen"; it is not enough to write down everything that is said. Instead, you should get involved in the lesson and identify the essential elements of its content.
- For example, instead of wasting time writing down every detail about Cavour's reforms (information you can check out later), try to establish the key concepts of his internal policy and identify examples to support your thesis. By doing this, you will have already started the learning (or, in other words, studying) process.
- The importance of active involvement is one of the reasons why many experts advise against recording lectures.,
- If you decide to record a lesson anyway, or if you need to do so, ask the teacher if you can do it. The lessons are considered intellectual property of the person proposing them. In addition, some institutions have special policies regarding registrations.
Step 2. Listen carefully to the introduction of the lesson
Get the rhythm right as soon as the teacher starts talking. You have to be ready to write right from the start.
- Lessons often begin with a preview of what will be covered, or at least with implied "clues" as to what will follow. Listen carefully to the opening of the lesson for suggestions that can help you organize your notes and understand what the most important concepts will be.
- Pay no attention to students who are late or who are not ready to take notes.
Step 3. Copy what is written on the board
Each professor organizes his lessons following a specific scheme; use its ladder to organize your notes more effectively. The information included in the slides presented in class can give you a clear idea of how to sort your notes.
Step 4. Learn to understand the teacher's directions and messages
When presenting the lesson, he will use tone of voice, hand gestures, and other non-verbal messages to accentuate the most important parts. Watch for these signs and learn to recognize them, to understand what information to remember.
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Recognize the main ideas by identifying key words and phrases that indicate the importance of what follows. Your professor will not shoot fireworks when he comes up with an important new concept or when he gives an example to clarify an idea; however, he will use signals to make people understand what he is going to say. Every good speaker adopts this technique and you should expect such signals from your professor as well. Here are some examples:
- Here are three reasons why …
- First second Third…
- The importance of this is …
- The impact of this is …
- From this we can deduce that …
- Learn to notice other clues as well. When a professor illustrates a key point, he often speaks louder or slower, repeats words or phrases, pauses longer before speaking again (perhaps to drink a glass of water), makes more showy gestures with his hands, stop walking, look more intently at the students and so on.
Step 5. Invent your own abbreviation system
Abbreviations allow you to use shortcuts to not spell out every word in full. They allow you to take notes faster, a very important skill during a lesson. However, avoid using the stenographer's code if you don't want to transcribe everything you've written, wasting time. Instead, develop your own system of shortcuts, abbreviations, symbols, designs, etc. Even if no one else understood what you wrote, the contents of the notes would be completely clear to you.
- Use abbreviations and skip unnecessary words for effective note-taking. Write only the important sentences that allow you to understand the concept expressed. Skip the articles, which add nothing to the meaning. You could create your own abbreviations to write even faster; for example, you can use an arrow to indicate a consequence, or find a way to abbreviate a term that is used over and over again (eg "td" for thermodynamics).
- Rewrite everything in your own words, except for specific formulas, definitions or facts that you will have to repeat verbatim on the exam.
- Underline, use circles, stars, highlighters, and find other methods to identify the most important examples, definitions and content. Invent a code of signs to indicate all kinds of information.
- Try drawing diagrams or pictures to express concepts you can't describe or understand in a short time. For example, draw a pie chart to roughly indicate the relative strength of a political party in an election.
Step 6. Write legibly
Make sure that letters and words are adequately spaced and legible, so as not to have difficulty in reviewing. Few things are more frustrating than not being able to read your writing, especially within days of an exam.
Step 7. Leave some space to rework your notes later
Don't try to condense as many words into each sheet as possible. A lot of white space should remain on your pages for future revisions and clarifications. This style of writing also makes it easier to read and rework at the study stage.
Step 8. Pay attention to the end of the lesson
It often happens that you lose focus when the clock approaches the end of the hour. Other students could start packing their things and making plans for lunch. The end of a lesson, however, is as important as the introduction to understand the general theme and key concepts.
If the professor makes a summary at the end of the lesson, pay close attention. You can use it to control the organization of your notes. If they look badly sorted to you, copy the main points covered in the summary; they will be useful for you to review your notes later
Step 9. Ask questions
During and after class, be sure to ask about anything you don't understand. When other students ask questions, write them down, along with the teacher's answers. This additional information may be useful to you.
- If you don't want to keep the whole class asking a question (annoying students who already have one foot out the door), approach the teacher to ask something privately. Other students will likely do the same and you will be able to listen to their questions as well.
- You can also go to your professor's reception with a list of questions to ask him.
Part 3 of 4: Review Your Notes
Step 1. Review your notes as soon as possible
You should complete the first review within 24 hours of the end of the lesson. By that time you may have already forgotten 80% of what was said in class. Use what you have already learned, instead of starting from scratch.
Step 2. Review your notes, don't just copy them back
Think of what you write in class as draft and review as fair copy. Create a new version of your clipboard, especially if it's messy, poorly organized, or nearly illegible. It is not enough to copy the pages as you wrote them the first time, you have to actively rewrite them.
- Use the clues you gathered in the lesson about structure and key concepts to rearrange what you wrote.
- Fill in the missing parts using your textbooks.
Step 3. Highlight the most important parts of the lesson
As you reread your notes, you should highlight or underline key concepts. Use different colored highlighters or pens to assign meaning to each recurring element. Notes made this way will be invaluable when you study for the exam, as you can quickly and efficiently review the most important parts of each lesson.
Step 4. Get the notes of the lessons you skipped
If you were unable to attend a class due to health or other unforeseen circumstances, you should ask a classmate to lend you their notes. Also talk to the professor to make sure you understand the topic well.
- Don't rely on services that sell lecture notes. In almost all universities there are rules that prohibit the use of this type of handout. Remember: using purchased notes is not a form of "active learning" that can help you better understand and remember the topic of study.
- If you have documented physical problems that make it difficult for you to take notes, talk to your teacher and your institution's student assistance service. You will likely be able to take advantage of many options, such as classroom assistance, tutoring, or permission to record lessons.
Part 4 of 4: Try the Cornell Note Pad Writing Method
Step 1. Divide the sheet into three sections
The Cornell method is a note-taking technique that involves writing down what is said in class and then developing questions from the content. Divide your pages into two sections by drawing a vertical line about 5 cm from the left margin. Continue the line to about 5 cm from the end of the sheet. Complete the pattern by drawing a horizontal line 5 cm from the bottom edge.
If you use a laptop, there are programs that can format your paper according to the Cornell method
Step 2. Write down the main concepts presented in the lesson
You need to do this in the larger section of the page. Leave plenty of room for future revisions.
Add examples, diagrams, tables, and other materials discussed by the professor
Step 3. Ask yourself questions at the end of the lesson
The left section of the page is reserved for questions about the notes you wrote. These questions can help you clarify some concepts, some definitions, and so on. Do the review within a day or two of the end of the lesson to make sure you remember at least some of what was said.
- Thanks to your material you can develop possible exam questions. What do you think the professor might ask for on the exam?
- When studying your notes for an exam, cover the right side of the page. Check if you can answer the questions on the left.
Step 4. Summarize your notes in the lower section of the page
This will help you remember the most important concepts from that part of the lesson.
Advice
- If you haven't attended a class, be sure to write it down so you don't forget it. This way you can be sure to remind a classmate to lend you their notes, without risking holes in your preparation for the exam.
- Get the right attitude. To listen well you have to be very careful. Keep an open mind in the classroom and listen to the teacher even when you disagree.
- Collect all class notes in a single notebook or section of a ring binder. Make sure all sheets have a title and are sorted chronologically. You can use a ring binder notebook instead of a hard bound one, to tidy up your notes as efficiently as possible.
