A booklet full of good grades is essential to being successful in college. One of the secrets to doing this is taking good notes. Doing so is completely different than in high school, because professors generally go free and give a lot of information not contained in textbooks. So what to write down? How to improve your performance thanks to the notes?
Steps
Step 1. Try to understand how the teacher teaches
For example, if you are in the habit of preparing PowerPoint presentations but don't follow them word-for-word, it might be easier to make a list of the concepts it deals with instead of copying what you read. Another idea is to split the sheet into two columns, with the left larger than the right; the first will be used to take notes, the second to write down the questions you want to ask the teacher.
Step 2. You could use a specialized note-taking program
For many it is an unparalleled organizational tool in order to have a good academic performance. It improves annotation efficiency and has features that normal word processing software does not have. For example, take a look at Knowledge Notebook.
Step 3. Take notes by making a list of the concepts explained by the teacher if he always uses slides in class, or almost
This system is pretty simple, but the minor details may escape you. To follow it, in practice you have to copy the contents of the slides verbatim using a bulleted list. Under each point, add everything the professor says that is not contained in the slides.
Step 4. The system called Cornell Note is based on the annotation of the main points
This method is not good for those who prefer to copy everything from one source. It is preferable for those who want to grasp the basic concepts in class, or for those who have a teacher who speaks non-stop. To follow this system, take a blank page in your notebook and draw a horizontal line at the top; then draw a vertical line leaving a small margin on the right (make it smaller if you write large). At the top, title the paper according to the topic of the lesson. Next, write down the main points on the left of the vertical line, and work out doubts and details on the right. Studies conducted by Cornell University have shown that this is the most effective strategy there is for taking notes.
Step 5. It is not compulsory to use only one method, on the contrary, vary it according to the different lessons
For example, use the list system for a history class and the Cornell system for a psychology class.
Step 6. Familiarize yourself with the method you choose, so you can quickly find everything in the clipboard
Step 7. Review your notes before and after class
This has been shown to improve memorization, and exams will do better as a result.
Advice
- Using abbreviations is advisable for those who tend to write practically everything. It will be easier to grasp any information.
- Rewriting your notes on your computer can allow you to review them and store them in memory. Plus, you'll have a point of reference in case you lose the handwritten ones.
- Highlighting and underlining is recommended for key points and concepts that are fundamental to exams and other tests.
- If you will be using a laptop to take notes, opt for the list system, while the Cornell method is feasible if you have set the pages on a word processor before going to class.
- If the professors offer handouts, you should download them first to be able to read and print them, in order to write your notes directly on these sheets. Try it, but it may not be for you. Some find it easier to start from scratch.
Warnings
- Everyone takes notes in their own way. Some have a better memory than others and write down fewer concepts, but this is not a valid excuse to write less.
- Do not copy the slides completely without adding the elaborations made by the teacher. It's hard to get a good grade on the exam if you just rely on the slides, ignoring what the professor explains. With a laptop it should be easier to take detailed notes, so you have no excuse to get lazy.
