Although sitting through a lecture can be boring, showing up for class is the only way to be sure a student will get all necessary information to do well in the class. Retaining that information is where note taking skills become very important for students who are committed to maintaining a steady grade point average.
Use Notebooks
Taking notes for class in a notebook is far more helpful to students than typing on a laptop or printing an instructor’s Power Point off of the Internet. The physical act of writing notes will help a student better focus on and remember the information presented to them when they go to study or write academic papers.
One way to assist in cementing the information given in class is to maintain two notebooks per class. Using one to quickly jot down notes in class will allow a student to capture a larger amount of information. Within 24 hours after the class, copying notes from one notebook to another will help a student organize notes more clearly, pay more attention to important points and have a better set of resources to utilize.
Tips for Taking Good Notes
Taking notes that will be effective, organized and clear entails more than just writing down what a student hears in class. In fact, simply writing down what information is presented is actually a very ineffective way to take notes. Better methods of taking notes include
- Developing personal shorthand for each class. Writing down terms that are used frequently can take up a lot of time, so shortening those terms can make taking notes more expedient.
- Don’t write down what a professor says verbatim. Trying to capture every word a teacher says will be impossible and cause a student to miss out on information. Instead, concentrate on getting important points.
- Don’t write down every word on the blackboard. Some of the points on the board will prove to be unimportant. Pay attention to the points the instructor focuses on with any emphasis.
- Pay special attention to anything a professor says more than once, because it will prove to be important later on, whether it shows up on an exam or not.
Keep Notes Organized
Taking effective notes requires that the notes stay organized. Keep all information for each individual class together; whether a student uses folders, binders or paperclips to keep notes separate, it’s important that the notes for one class do not get mixed in with the notes for another. Using note cards can also be a simple way to keep notes organized: by writing down important terms, facts, dates and names on note cards, a student will have a ready-made study aid to use when it’s time for final exams.
Although taking notes can feel like a boring strain on a student, maintaining a good source of organized, thorough notes is one of the most effective ways to get better grades. Using a single notebook to take notes and study from really is not the best way for a student to capture and retain the important facts and information presented in class. By utilizing simple tactics to make notes more effective, students can improve their grades.
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