Note Taking
Note-taking during lectures and classes
Note-taking involves a tricky combination of:
Listening and following a line of inquiry or argument
Thinking about what is being said
Writing your own version of this
Notetaking from Lectures
Ideally, lectures require some time to be spent:
In advance
Thinking why you are there
Preparing for the subject by reading and thinking about its area of concern
Knowing about how you work/learn best in lectures
Deciding what you hope to get from the lecture
During the lecture
Establishing the right balance of listening, thinking and writing.
This is a skill which requires practice, experimentation, getting used to the lecturer’s style and finding out what works best for you.
The key skill is listening and trying to understand. It is more important to follow the argument and absorb it than to try and get down every word in a hasty scribble which makes little sense later.
Beginnings and endings of lectures are likely to be key periods for concentration; at the least, it’s worth recording:
Title and date of lecture
Lecturer’s name
New terms and ideas
Keywords and most important points (often signalled by the lecturer)
Unfamiliar words or names – to look up later.
Remember, also, to number your pages for easy reference (or in case they get dropped or out of order). This can help save a lot of time.
For some people, creating a mind map is more helpful than simply relying on words. Working out your own shorthand abbreviations for key words (with, because, therefore, and, etc) is also helpful in increasing note-taking speeds.
After the lecture supplement your notes by:
Discussion with peers (or possibly the lecturer)
Active reflection – asking yourself questions about the material and presentation
Following up suggested resources
Re-reading and making sense of your notes, re-writing if necessary, as soon as possible or certainly within 24 hours, before the material fades. This will help to make them your own and transfer the content from short to long-term memory
Recognising lectures as a counterpart to your own reading and discussion - rather than being your sole source of information.
Note-taking from text
Quickly read key/first sentences in paragraphs (‘scan reading’) and gather the overall gist of a text or identify quickly where specific information is by looking for key words (‘skim reading’) for what you need. Then read carefully what you select and make relevant notes in your own words. This will help you in thinking about what the writer is saying – understanding and perhaps questioning it, too.
Make accurate notes also as you go along of your source materials. All essays must include a bibliography in which you list all the books and other references you used. It’s much easier and more efficient to make a record of these at the time of reading rather than wasting time going back at a later date to find them again. Don’t forget to keep a note of web addresses, too, and when you visited them (also required in your Bibliographic and footnote references).
Effective note-taking takes practice and you may find a particular method works better for you or the type of lesson. Listed below are some useful technique examples and where possible, templates for you to download and freely use.
Cornell Notes
The Cornell system of note-taking is widely used and involves dividing your page into the following four sections:
Complete the top section with details of the class you have attended. This will help you organise your notes and study materials.
This is the main note-taking area of your page. Use this space to record notes during the class.
After the class but while everything is fresh in your mind, re-read your notes and pick out key points to record in this section. Another useful technique is to write questions based on your notes. Cover the main section 2 and see if you can answer the questions.
Write a brief summary in your own words on what you have learnt, how you can apply it and notes on further research required.
Here is a blank template that you can print or save for use with your studies.
Note: if you wish to fill out the form electronically ensure you have first saved the copy to your Documents folder on the computer