Take Note
Remember being in class and the teacher warns, “This will all be on the test.”? Suddenly there’s a mad scramble for paper and pen, and you begin to frantically piece together what the professor just taught. Many of us have been there. Many still wait for some signal to take out their paper, but good students prepare for note-taking, write down key concepts, and review their notes right away.
Often a teacher will assign reading before a class so that the students are ready to discuss the concepts during the presentation. Taking the time to read the prep work in advance will give you an overview of what is being taught and help to direct your note-taking. You will be more prepared to understand principles and to ask good questions. A little time in advance will save time later.
There’s a difference between transcribing what the teacher is saying and actually taking notes. It isn’t necessary to get everything down in written form. In fact, trying to get each sentence may distract you from understanding what’s being taught in the first place. Remember that notes are an abbreviated version of the concepts. Consider organizing your notes into sections, with a place for questions and a place for a summary. Cornell note-taking suggests 3 sections: one down the left side of the page for cue words, main ideas, or questions; a main section for general information, diagrams, dates, key information, and formulas, with space at the bottom for a summary of your notes. Remember to date the page and provide page numbers to keep your notes in order.
After class, take some time to look over your notes and create a summary, identifying and defining abbreviations and acronyms. Giving it one more look before you move on to something different may give you the pause you need to correct something, make that handwriting legible, or add more information for a better grasp of the subject matter.
Some debate the virtues of taking notes directly to the laptop, with its efficient speed and navigation versus putting pen to paper. Many find that notifications from social sites and email are distractions or temptations to lose focus, while others can type much faster than they write. Whether you go for the modern approach or are comfortable with your low-tech, tried and true written page, keeping top-notch notes makes for sage scholars.