Note Taking Skills and Strategies
Tips on taking school notes, techniques and strategies that will help you to take notes in a proper way. Whether taking college lecture notes or class notes these tips will be of great use to you.
- If the instructor writes something on the chalkboard/overhead or repeats an idea then it is usually a key point and you should write it down for using it and some other point of time.
- Try to sit towards the front and center of the class room where you'll be less distracted towards other things and can hear the professor the best and have a good angle on any visual aids that may be shown.
- If your instructor talks very fast, it may help to bring an audio recorder and record the lecture while taking down notes. After the lecture is over you can replay the lecture and fill in any parts that you missed in your notes.
- Don't rely on someone else's notes, you may not understand everything that other have written down and you'll learn the best by taking your own notes.
- Put dates in your notes; add titles and subtitles when you move onto a new topic for easy referencing.
- Try to use a three-ring binder, it will help you in rearranging your notes and any handouts that you may receive.
- Do reading assignments or homework questions before class starts, it is easier to take notes when you know what the instructor is talking about.
- Write down any terminology along with the definition that the instructor may present to you.
- If you missed what the instructor said ask them to repeat it or go to the instructor after class and ask for clarification on a particular topic. If you are in a rush, ask the instructor at the beginning of the next class or try to find the answer from a friend or the text.
- Make sure that you write legibly, if you can't read them later, they'll be useless. If you have sloppy handwriting it may be wise to type your notes on a laptop so that they are easier to read.
- Compare notes with other classmates to make sure you didn't miss any important points.
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