Note Taking Resources

Be An Active Listener

Good note taking begins with being a good listener and preparing yourself to receive the information that is being presented.  Poor listeners tend to dismiss most lectures as dull and irrelevant.  Because of this, poor listeners don’t actively follow what is being said.  Active listening is an important life skill to cultivate as this is something you can use your entire life. 

Be Prepared

Also, when taking lecture notes, it is important to practice getting set and focusing your attention on the speaker.  You don’t need to write down every word that is spoken, but rather think, analyze and digest what the lecturer is saying and then summarize the main ideas into several logical phrases.  Many students struggle with being able to determine what the main ideas are and attempt to write down too much information.  One way to avoid this problem is to read or skim the textbook prior to the lecture. 

Use Strategies

You should also use strategies before, during and after the lecture.  Reviewing your notes while the information is still fresh in your mind will help you to commit the information to memory.  You can also add facts or ideas that you did not have time to write down during the actual lecture. 

Helpful Links:

http://www.usu.edu/arc/idea_sheet/pdf/effective_note_taking.pdf

http://www.usu.edu/arc/idea_sheet/pdf/note_taking_cornell.pdf