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10.2: Taking Useful Notes

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    As explained in the previous section about reading, you need to be active when you’re reading textbooks. One way to be active is to take notes on your reading. Pull out a notebook or open your laptop or tablet, and take notes as you read. You may think there’s not a need to take notes since you may be highlighting or underlining as you read, but taking notes is another way to move the information you’re reading from your sensory and short-term memory into your long-term memory. You’re also creating a study tool when you take notes on your reading.

    Keep in mind that students who know what their instructor is going to lecture on before the lecture are at an advantage. Why? Because the more they understand about what the instructor will be talking about, the easier taking notes will be. How? Look at the syllabus before the lecture. You also will be more prepared and be able to see important connections if you read your assigned reading before the lecture. Reading the assigned information before the lecture and knowing what the lecture will be about best prepares students for taking notes during the lecture and gives the greatest potential for understanding relationships between the reading material and the lecture.

    In addition to being an active reader by taking notes on your assigned reading, you also need to be an active listener by taking notes during class lectures and when watching videos. Again, you may think there is no need to take notes on lectures if your professor provides you with presentations and slideshows, but the simple act of taking notes will help you move that lecture material into your long-term memory. If you take notes on the assigned reading and on the lecture, then you can combine those notes later to study for exams.

    Tips for Taking Notes During the Lecture

    • Arrive early and find a good seat. Seats in the front and center are best for being able to see and hear information.
    • Do not try to write down everything the instructor says which is impossible and inefficient. Instead, listen for the most important topics and ideas to write down. You may wish to ask your instructor during office hours if you have identified the main topics in your notes, or compare your notes to one of your classmates.
    • Use symbols and abbreviations. As long as you can tell later what you wrote, the fewer the pen or pencil strokes, the better.
    • Write down what your instructor writes: anything on a dry erase board, chalkboard, overhead projector and in some cases in presentations are cues for important information.
    • Leave space to add information to your notes. You can use this space during or after lectures to elaborate on ideas.
    • Do not write in complete sentences or worry about spelling or punctuation. Getting the important information, concepts and main ideas is much more important. You can always revise your notes later and correct spelling.
    • Often, the most important information is delivered at the beginning and/or the end of a lecture. Many students arrive late or pack up their belongings and mentally check out a few minutes before the lecture ends which means missing valuable information. Keep taking notes until the lecture is complete.
    • Ask questions: if you don’t understand a lecture point, don’t be afraid to ask your instructor to clarify. You probably aren’t the only one in the class with that question. Be specific and ask your instructor about a certain point of information and/or tell your instructor from what part of the lecture your question is about.

    Here are several note-taking methods and structures. Experiment with each type and see what appeals to you.

    Cornell System

    In this method, draw a vertical line about two inches from the left side of your page, and then draw a horizontal line about two inches above the bottom of the page. In the large area on the right, take notes as you normally would. Then after finishing your original note-taking, condense the content into key words and phrases in the left column or list questions you have about the content. Finally, summarize your notes in your own words in the section at the bottom of the page.

    The Cornell System is called a system because you can use this format to take notes, organize the material and study. After you’ve created the key words and questions column, you can cover up the main notes section and see if you can explain the full concepts of the key words or answer questions without looking at the main notes. Then when you’re doing the last bit of studying for an exam, you can read the summary section quickly without having to re-read the whole notes section.

    Table: Cornell System
    Left Column Main Section
    Key words and phrases or questions

    Main notes in this section
    Summary at Bottom Summary in your own words

    Concept Mapping

    Concept maps, also known as webs or mind maps, start with the main idea in the center then branch out to show related second and third level details.

    Image of Concept Map

    Outlines

    Outlines use a vertical, top-down structure with the main idea on the top designated with a Roman numeral then progressing downward to the second-level detail designated with a capital letter which is indented under the main idea. Then third-level details are indented under the second-level details using a number and so on using small Roman numerals and lower-case letters. Informal outlines follow this same structure with bullet points or symbols.

    1. Main idea
    1. 3rd level detail
    2. 3rd level detail

    2. Main idea

    Hierarchies

    Hierarchies look like organizational charts and also are structured vertically with the main ideas at the top and cascading down with lower-level details.

    Image of Hierarchy

    Chart or Matrix

    A chart or matrix organizes your notes into columns and rows. You can create a chart/matrix with as many rows and columns as needed for the topic you’re studying.

    Table: Chart or Matrix Notes
    Main Idea 2nd Level Detail 2nd Level Detail
         
         
         

    Here is a comprehensive video about note-taking from the Academic Success Center at Oregon State University. This video makes the important connection between metacognition and note-taking strategies. Note-taking Academic Success Center Oregon State University [www.youtube.com]

    This page titled 10.2: Taking Useful Notes is shared under a CC BY-NC license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Heather Burns, Connie Ogle, & Allyson Valentine.