Note-Taking

Well organised notes are the mark of a good student. No one important said that, it’s just obvious. If your notes are readable, accessible and logical then you will save an invaluable amount of time and effort in the long run…here’s a few tips to take on board:

• Use a large loose-leaf binder, writing only on one side of each page
• Do all the required reading, your teacher will assume you have
• Go to classes five minutes early and review your notes
• If you miss a lecture/class make sure to catch up (though try not to make a habit of it!)
• Sit close to the top, you will see better and are less likely to be distracted
• Keep your notes marked and dated, this will help you when you need to refer back to them
• There is no need to take down everything that is said (unless directed otherwise). Focus on the main ideas
• Listen to the points: then write
• Take everything down in a format that will make sense to you later, no two notebooks will ever look the same, everyone has their own style that works for them
• If lecturer/teacher is going too fast, capture fragments. You can bulk it out later
• Typically, the last five or ten minutes of a class contain a lot of information, so stay awake!
• After class, review your notes
• Revise them and add any new information/ideas you may have and make any necessary corrections. Underline the key ideas/themes