Taking Notes

An online course is significantly different than a face-to-face class in a variety of ways. The biggest difference is the ability to progress through the course at a time that best meets your needs. You are not typically required to be at a location at a specific time to view lectures, class meetings, videos, quizzes, etc... Many, or all, of the course materials are available to you - either as you need them or all the time. This access sometimes fools students into thinking that they do not need to take good notes as they move through the course. YOU DO! Let's face it; the fact that you have the ability later to go back and re-watch a video, or listen to a lecture, or reread a document does not mean you will. The best strategy is to take good notes on the concept as you move through the course.

First, let's get a common idea about what we mean by "notes". Notes are not when you "cut/paste" important text from a document. They involve you writing (either by hand or typing) information. It can involve linear note taking such as outlining, summarizing, or creating bullet point lists of important concepts; or non-linear note taking, such as Clustering, Concept Mapping, Cornell Notes, and SQ3R. Not all of the information presented should be included in your notes. The activity is very similar to what you would do in a face-to-face class. Think about it... the information must "move" through your brain (from eyes/ears, to hands).

Students may choose to buy a paper notebook to use for the course. Other students may use electronic documents and folders to organize course notes. Whatever you choose, use something that will work for you throughout the course.

Here is a sample of a blank Cornell note sheet.