Take Note: Tips on Classroom Note-Taking

Whether you are a high school or college student, you can’t possibly write down every word your instructor says and you don’t have time to record and transcribe it all. How will you determine what, and how much, to write down during lectures?

1. Pull out your textbook before class. What topics will be covered in the reading? Are there ideas raised that you are not quite understanding? If so, make a note to yourself to ask about it in class and pay attention in case the instructor covers it.

2. Rather than writing down everything the professor says, why not highlight it as he goes along? Be judicious with highlighting as well because highlighting every line of every page won’t help you study later. If you don’t want to write in your books, pop a sticky note on points your professor raises.

3. Listening is as important as note taking. If you zone out you won’t know what important points your instructor is discussing. Also, pay attention to your fellow students – they may raise points you had questions on.

4. Your instructor likely won’t cover points that aren’t important but still knowing what to write down and what to skip can be difficult to determine. If a topic warrants your instructor spending a lot of time discussing it, making an overhead or writing it on the board, chances are, you should be writing it down.

5. While every individual has his or her own note taking style here are a couple of things to consider. Use a new page for each day’s lecture. Leave empty spaces between notes for review and additional topics as they arise. Paraphrase. Abbreviate but make certain you will be able to decipher it later.

It’s not necessary to write down everything your instructor says. It’s okay as well to ask the instructor for advice on what he or she feels is the most important: “Will this be on an exam?” can be asked. Once the class ends, review your notes to make certain you can decipher what you’ve written.

Robbi Hess is a staff writer for the American Educational Guidance Center. Her interests in higher education include online college programs for working adults, specialty colleges and universities and unusual scholarships.

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