Note Taking Strategies Top 5 Tips for Effective Note Taking
Tip #1 Come to Class Prepared "Always have a plan and believe in it. Nothing good happens by accident." - Chuck Knoll, NFL football coach
Use a 3 ring binder instead of a spiral notebook. Bring highlighters to class. Read assigned material and review notes before class.
Tip #2 Improve Your Listening Skills "Learn how to listen and you will prosper even from those who talk badly." -- Plutarch (A.D ). Greek biographer and philosopher
Enter class with a positive attitude. Make a conscious effort to pay attention. Concentrate on concentrating. Adapt to whatever direction a class takes.
Tip # 3 Develop a Note-taking Method That Works For You "Learn, compare, collect the facts." Ivan Petrovic Pavlov ( ), Russian physiologist
Start each class with a new page. –Date and number each page. Write on one side of the paper only. –They can be set side by side for easy reviewing. Leave blank spaces. –This leaves room for adding comments or questions later.
Tip # 3 (cont.) Make your notes as brief as possible. –Never use a sentence where you can use a phrase. Use abbreviations and symbols wherever possible. Note all unfamiliar vocabulary and concepts. –This reminds you to look them up later.
Tip #4 Pay Close Attention to Content "There is a great difference between knowing a thing and understanding it.” - Charles Kettering ( ), American electrical engineer and inventor
Knowing what and how much to write down is sometimes difficult. Rely on some of the following tips for what to include in your notes.
Include details, facts, or explanations that explain the main points. –Don't forget examples! Include definitions, word for word. Make lists of things discussed in class. Include information written on the overhead or board, including charts. Include material that is repeated or carefully described.
Tip #5 Review and Edit Your Notes “ Ideas won't keep; something must be done about them." - Alfred North Whitehead ( ), English mathematician and philosopher
Reviewing and editing class notes are the most important part of note taking. Review your notes within 24 hours. Edit words and phrases that are illegible or don't make sense. Write out abbreviated words that might be unclear later. Edit with a different colored pen to distinguish between what you wrote in class and what you filled in later.
Fill in key words and questions in the left hand column. Note anything you don't understand by underlining or highlighting to remind you to ask your teacher. Compare your notes with your textbook and fill in important details in the blank spaces you left. Consider rewriting or typing your notes.
Resources Popular note taking formats Additional Techniques for Study and Test Preparation
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