Take Lecture Notes

Here's how to get the most out of a lecture, and have amazing notes to show for it.

Before the Lecture Begins

 * 1)   Prepare for the lecture so that you will be more likely to predict the organization of the lecture. Check the course outline to see if the lecturer has listed the topic or key ideas in the upcoming lecture. If so, convert this information into questions, or structure your notebook according to the headings provided in the outline. If no outline is given, try to structure the presentation yourself when you revisit the notes later.
 * 2)  If an outline or handout is given out at the beginning of class, skim it quickly.  Underline or highlight topics, new vocabulary, key questions and/or main ideas.
 * 3)  Ideally, you will come to class having read the assigned material. Attending the lecture with the information fresh in your mind will undoubtedly help you follow the presentation with greater ease and less confusion.
 * 4)  Sit as near to the front of the room as possible to eliminate distractions. You may even want to come five or ten minutes early to get a good seat and have time to set up your pen and notebook or laptop.
 * 5)  Have a proper attitude. Listening well is a matter of paying close attention. Be prepared to be open-minded about what the lecturer may be saying, even though you may disagree with it.
 * 6)  Have extra pencils sharpened and ready, or extra lead for mechanical pencils in case a pencil breaks during the lecture.
 * 7)  Write down the title of the lecture, and the date. Keeping your notes organized will pay off when it comes time to study.
 * 8)  If you miss a lecture, make sure to write it down in your notes as well, so that you will not forget. This way you ensure that you will get the notes from a friend or colleague instead of missing out on the material entirely.

During the Lecture

 * 1)  Listen carefully to the introduction (if there is one). By knowing this outline, you will be better prepared to anticipate what notes you will need to take. Decipher this outline by listening for:
 * 2) *A topic for each section.
 * 3) *Supporting points or examples for the topic.
 * 4)  Copy what's written on the whiteboard, especially the outline. To make sure that you get everything, get in the habit of skipping words like "the" and "a" and make use of shorthand and abbreviations. Summarize your notes in your own words, not the instructor's. Remember: your goal is to understand what the professor is saying, not to try to record exactly everything he or she says.
 * 5)  Recognize main ideas by signal words that indicate something important is to follow. See the tip on signals below.
 * 6)  Jot down details or examples that support the main ideas. Take down examples and sketches which the lecturer presents. Indicate examples with "e.g." Give special attention to details not covered in the textbook.
 * 7) Come up with symbols for words used often that you can remember easily.
 * 8) Take detailed notes if possible.
 * 9) Draw diagrams for concepts you can't remember easily or don't understand.
 * 10)  If there is a summary at the end of the lecture, pay close attention to it. You can use it to check the organization of your notes. If your notes seem disorganized, copy down the main points that are covered in the summary. It will help in revising your notes later.
 * 11)  At the end of the lecture, ask questions about points that you did not understand.

After the Lecture

 * 1)  Revise your notes as quickly as possible, preferably immediately after the lecture, since at that time you will still remember a good deal of the lecture.  Also it is a good idea to reread your notes within 24 hours of the lecture.  It may be a good idea to rewrite or type your notes to make them clearer and more organized.
 * 2)    Review the lecture notes before the next lecture.

Tips

 * Collect notes for each course in one place, in a separate notebook or section of a notebook.
 * Use an 'erasable pen or pencil '.
 * Use a loose-leaf notebook rather than a notebook with a permanent binding.
 * Enter your notes legibly because it saves time. Make them clear.
 * Draw a box around assignments and suggested books so you can identify them quickly.
 * Mark ideas which the lecture emphasizes with a highlighter, arrow or some special symbol.
 * When the teacher looks at his/her notes, pay attention to what they say next. Check any notes you may have missed with a classmate.
 * Do an outline. For every new section of your subject, you have a new bullet then title it and use smaller bullets,(-),or number them to put information down.
 * One helpful strategy is, if your teacher writes on his or her black or whiteboard, use a bullet for anything he writes, and a dash for anything he says, and use a plus for any combination. This can help distinguish exact facts with inferences.
 * Do an outline. For every new section of your subject, you have a new bullet then title it and use smaller bullets,(-),or number them to put information down.
 * One helpful strategy is, if your teacher writes on his or her black or whiteboard, use a bullet for anything he writes, and a dash for anything he says, and use a plus for any combination. This can help distinguish exact facts with inferences.


 * Incorporate different colors of ink, diagrams, drawings of your own. Make your notes your notes. Take advantage of how you learn (visually, orally, or actively) and write/draw your notes according to that style.
 * Watch for signal words. Your instructor is not going to send up a rocket when He/she states an important new idea or gives an example, but she will use signals to telegraph what she is doing. Every good speaker does it, and you should expect to receive these signals. For example, she may introduce an example with "for example" as done here. Other common signals: "There are three reasons why...." (Here they come!)"First...Second... Third...." (There they are!)"And most important,...." (A main idea!)"A major development...." (A main idea again!)He/She may signal support material with:  "On the other hand....""Pay close attention to this""On the contrary....""For example....""Similarly....""In contrast....""Also....""For example....""For instance...."</ul>He may signal conclusion or summary with:  <li>"Therefore...."<li>"In conclusion...."<li>"As a result...."<li>"Finally...."<li>"In summary...."<li>"From this we see...."</ul>He/She may signal very loudly with:  <li>"Now this is important...."<li>"Remember that...."<li>"The important idea is that...."<li>"The basic concept here is...."</ul>
 * If you can, bring a tape recorder. Still take notes but listen to the lecture later where you can stop and play while taking notes on the Lecture.A better way is to record the lecture is a small camera.

Warnings

 * Do not perform manual activities which will detract from taking notes. Do not doodle or play with your pen. These activities break eye contact and concentration. Although some people learn best while fidgeting (an active learning style), it is distracting to others. Therefore, if you learn best while doodling or tapping your foot, sit near people who do the same or who don't keep glaring in your direction.
 * If you are gathering together your personal belongings when you should be listening, you're bound to miss an important point--perhaps an announcement about the next exam--or, at the least, insult the teacher.
 * Some professors may not want you to record their lectures, in case they end up shared or posted online without the professor getting credit or financial compensation for their expertise. It could even be illegal to make a recording without their permission! Ask permission before using recording devices, and delete your recordings as soon as the final exam is over.

Tools to Help
Several tools can help you maximize your retention and help you take better notes.

1. PerfectNotes software works on your laptop to help you make sure you never miss a thing. It records your lecture while you take notes. At any time, you can bookmark important points. Later, you can quickly go back and hear what you missed by clicking on your bookmarks. Or, if part of your notes are unclear, simply click in your notes, click a button, and the audio will be available for you to browse through. In just seconds you can hear the exact part that was unclear. Free demo available from www.perfectnotes.com. Full version is $29.95.

2. Live Scribe Smart Pen is a great tool for those who don't want to take a notebook to class. Take notes using the Smart Pen on special paper. Whenever you want to hear something again, just click on the notes that are unclear and hear them again. Available from www.livescribe.com for $149 or $199 depending on the size of memory.

3. Microsoft OneNote is a great tool for organizing a lot of data into once place. You can put together web pages, pdf's, emails, and your own notes. A great search tool helps you quickly find what you are looking for. Free demo available from www.microsoft.com, or purchase for $99 or $79.

4. If you take notes on a laptop or type up your notes into study guides, check your Microsoft Word project gallery for something called a "notebook layout". This a really cool and useful type of document that looks just like a notebook. You can put tabs into it for different sections, title each page for easy retrieval later, and even draw diagrams or record little audio notes on the pages! It's built especially for note-taking, so bullets are easy to use and organize. The best part is that if you already have a more recent copy of MS Word, it's free.

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Ace Your Next Test
 * How to Impress Your Teachers
 * How to Create Good Study Habits for Exams
 * How to Remember Lists of Words With the Memory Trick
 * How to Sneak Into Higher Level Classes in High School
 * How to Actively Learn During Lectures
 * How to Pass or Fail a Class

Sources and Citations

 * eHow to Take Lecture Notes
 * eHow to Take Research Notes
 * eHow to Take Reading Notes
 * Making the most of lectures. Article by Martin Greenhow