Note Taking

There are many ways you can take notes in your classes. The key is to adjust to your academic and personal goals. You also want to adjust to the demands on you at the time.

Ask yourself: am I low on energy? Does the professor test on infor- mation presented in class? Are his or her lectures based on the course text, or are they a complement to the book? How much of the lecture’s content will be on the test? What parts of the course and parts of the lecture are most challenging for me?

Some methods to look into are the outline method, the paragraph/ block method, and the mapping method. Another useful technique is the split-page method. You can look these up on your own.
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Here are some basic tips and a shorthand technique for taking notes:

• Do not attempt to take down every word.
• Use your text book, lecture notes provided, and any other material given by the professor as a preliminary guide to what is coming up next in the course.
• In addition to the abbreviations provided below, use symbols to direct your attention and make content easier to find when you return to your notes later, such as TQ (test question) and “?” for things you do not understand.
• Do not record your lectures unless they are language courses; it is quicker to go through written material. If you do decide to record, make sure to get permission first.
• Have extra paper and writing tools.
• Ask for lecture slides or notes from your teacher and engage with them during the lecture, such as writing on them.
• Go back over your notes soon after lectures to catch areas that need fuller explanation, before you forget what you or the teacher meant and to recall other parts not written down. Seek to answer questions via your textbook, peers, or professor.
• Make sure to include anything that is repeated or spelled out.
• Take down any given definitions.