If you’re heading to college, you’ll need to be able to take good class notes in order to do well. Sure, listening is something we can all do, but you’ll need to jot down points here and there, which will come in handy during your exam preparation. We give you some tips for you to take good class notes effectively.
You need to listen well, and stay tuned in to the class. Don’t be passive, be active. Pay attention to what your professor is saying, and learn the information that he is conveying. Listen for the main points, and the subpoints. Don’t write indiscriminately, this wastes time. Once you’ve understood the purpose of the lecture, you will be able to write down the main points, and the subpoints. Understand how the points relate to each other, and their relevance in terms of each other. If you’re taking notes, remove all possible distractions – you need to focus on what the professor is saying, and put 100% into that focus. Put away your cell phone, your puzzle, the campus magazine – for that time, it should just be you, the class, and the professor.
You need to concentrate in class. Be skilled at listening, and always write down the date and topic of the lecture, as well as the lecturer’s name. If you’re a slow writer, learn to write faster. Use shorthand if you know it. Don’t obsess over getting every single word – words like ‘a’ and ‘the’; you can afford to leave out. And don’t worry about being neat; it’s not a term paper or an exam! They’re notes; they’re okay as long as you can understand them. Do write down definitions, and ask your teacher to repeat or to speak up if you don’t understand something. Professors are always willing to go over something if a student has not understood something.
Lastly, review your notes. Go over them again, write them down in a detailed manner if possible – this ensures that it’s fresh in your head. Remember that rewriting helps to retain the information. Get into the practice of going over the previous class’s notes, this makes you better prepared for the class. If you feel something doesn’t make sense, do clarify it. It always helps to have a friend who’s really good at note-taking, every once in a while, you can sit down together and compare notes, just to see if you’ve missed any important points.
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