Note Taking Skills
Your notes will be most useful if you think of them as a starting point for more learning. Your brain will remember information better if it has seen it multiple times and has different pathways for accessing the information.
Using a range of senses while taking and using notes can help you remember information better. You can try writing your notes, talk them over with a classmate, and then draw a picture or make any visual based on key concepts.
Don’t let your lectures be the only time you hear about a concept. Note taking is a process that occurs before, during, and after class - print out any lecture notes or slides and make notes before class. Add notes during class; use abbreviations and symbols to help with time. Summarize your notes and make connections after class.
| 10 Ways to Use Your Notes | |
| 1. Visit office hours to talk through questions you noted during lecture. | 6. Write practice test questions. |
| 2. Make a study guide | 7. Make and organize post-it notes |
| 3. Write a summary of key points | 8. Make visual connections between notes from different lectures. |
| 4. Change your notes into visuals | 9. Identify real-world examples of main concepts |
| 5. Fill in answers to questions you write during class | 10. Explain the main points from your lecture to a friend |
Note Taking Strategies |
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#1 TAKE NOTES IN YOUR OWN WORDS |
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#2 USE CONSISTENT ABBREVIATIONS & SYMBOLS |
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#3 ADJUST YOUR NOTES |
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#4 TAKE NOTES IN ANY OF YOUR LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS |
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#5 TRY DIFFERENT STYLES & STRATEGIES |
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In some cases, consider the following scenarios
The professor talks too fast
- Use abbreviations so you can capture information faster
- Share and compare notes with friends before or after class
- Mark areas you need to return to or add details to later when studying
- If the lecture is recorded, review the recording and fill in missing information
You’re having trouble understanding the professor because of an accent
- Write questions you hope will be answered in class
- Listen for key concepts, key terms, or answers to your questions
- Watch for clues to important information
- Visit your professor during their office hours to get clarification, the more you communicate with him/her the better you get at understanding their speech
There are very few lecture slides to follow
- Try to find the information in your text, books, online etc. that will support the slides provided
- Look for connections and add details from other resources (textbook, videos, etc.)
- Write questions you hope will be answered in class.
You are not sure what to write down
- Pay attention and listen for big ideas or key concepts
- Listen for repetition- during your lecture the instructor will repeat him/herself in different ways to emphasize what they want you to know.
- Look out for cues or specific examples of a concept- often times this is an indication of important information that might be used as testing material.
In any case, it’s always best to practice the following
- Prepare before class. Pre-reading is highly recommended so that you may be prepared for your upcoming lecture.
- After class share your notes with your colleagues and compare them with each other. This will also help you get clarification on areas of confusion.
- Visit your professor during office hours.