The Keys to Taking Great Notes
Is your study time as productive as it could be? If not, your notes could be the culprit. Even though note-taking may seem like a no-brainer, there are some key things you could be doing to make sure that your notes best represent the material gone over in class. The first thing you can do is eliminate little sticky notes and scrap paper in favor of one big notebook. After that, follow these simple steps and you’ll be on your way to a notebook full of information that will serve you well when you review.
1. Don’t even try to write it all down. Be a filter when the information comes to you in classroom. Otherwise, you’ll be overwhelmed with a jumble of words and phrases that likely mean nothing later. Jot down the main points or phrases; don’t worry about writing complete sentences. If you fall behind, use a dash or a space and try to go back and fill in later. No matter what, keep up with what the professor is communicating with you. If you make a mistake – a single line through it will do the trick. It’s quick.
2. Come up with your abbreviations and stick with them. They’ll eventually become second nature to you, a form of personal shorthand. For example, b/c can mean because, Q can mean question and b/4 can mean before. After all, you’ve likely been texting in shorthand for a while now, right? Another part of coming up with your own abbreviations is to decide how to emphasis important information. You can use all caps, underline, and circle…whatever floats your boat.
3. You can always go back to that basic outline you learned back in grade school. Use Roman numerals to indicate major ideas and support them with points that are labeled with lower case letters from the alphabet. Or, indent whenever you are starting with a new subject much like you do when writing paragraphs.
4. Once you leave the classroom or lecture hall, don’t let much time pass before you go over your notes and clarify for meaning. Fill in any blanks that you left in order to keep up. Do all of this while the material is fresh in your mind. This is a vital step so treat it like the very first step in your daily homework.
Even great notes won’t do you much good if you don’t make time to review them often throughout the semester. Get a good cup of coffee, find someplace quiet, and go through your notes thoroughly. Good notes will serve you well, and boost your G.P.A. significantly.
Emily Rosen is a learning specialist who contributes articles to websites on online degree programs, online colleges and distance education.
Related posts:
- How to Write Small Business Plan If you're a budding entrepreneur and you want to actualize...
- Important Steps to Take When Purchasing Laptop Notebooks Laptop Notebooks are an expensive investment, and trying to buy...
- Save Thousands On College Education With Scholarships A pretty good way to go to college for free...
- Taking A Look At Beauty Salons The world is now becoming more obsessed with beauty and...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.