A successful college career could depend on your ability to take and keep good notes. In some colleges, lectures make up the majority of the class work. This can make the transition from high school to university difficult, depending on the school that you attended. If lectures are new to you, remember that note-taking serves several purposes. One is to help you stay focused on the material. Here you can learn about the basic tools that you will need and some suggestions for effective note taking.
Universities and colleges provide various kinds of assistance. Some lectures may be videotaped, which allows college students to see what they missed or refresh their memory. If the university that you are attending does not videotape lectures, invest in a small tape recorder. Listening to the tape, while reviewing their notes, is a study habit that many college students find beneficial.
You will, of course, need notebooks or legal pads and writing utensils. Highlighter pens are beneficial. Colleges often include handouts as a part of the course curriculum. Buy a hole-punch, so that you can store these handouts in a three ring binder. When you do use highlighters or colored pens, use them sparingly. Too much color becomes ineffective. The purpose is to attract your attention. You can also highlight key points in your own notes.
Before the lecture begins, write down the date and the class name on the corner of the page. Give the lecture a "name" and use that as a heading for the page. If you are taking notes from written material, record the name of the book that the material is taken from, in case you need to return to it later. Try to paraphrase. Only copy complete sentences if you feel they are very important. Use phrases that will make sense to you later. Try to write clearly. If you can't read your notes later, then taking them was a waste of time.
Some universities and colleges recommend that you use the Cornell method of note-taking. It is a relatively simple system to learn. You would follow the advice already mentioned above, but leave blank spaces between your phrases. In the margins of the page, you would list new vocabulary words or formulas. As soon as possible after class, you would review the notes and fill in the blanks by explaining the material that you just learned in your own words. If done correctly, you can create an effective study guide this way.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Whether you are attending high school, college or university, there are no bad questions, except for the ones that you forgot to ask.
Universities and colleges provide various kinds of assistance. Some lectures may be videotaped, which allows college students to see what they missed or refresh their memory. If the university that you are attending does not videotape lectures, invest in a small tape recorder. Listening to the tape, while reviewing their notes, is a study habit that many college students find beneficial.
You will, of course, need notebooks or legal pads and writing utensils. Highlighter pens are beneficial. Colleges often include handouts as a part of the course curriculum. Buy a hole-punch, so that you can store these handouts in a three ring binder. When you do use highlighters or colored pens, use them sparingly. Too much color becomes ineffective. The purpose is to attract your attention. You can also highlight key points in your own notes.
Before the lecture begins, write down the date and the class name on the corner of the page. Give the lecture a "name" and use that as a heading for the page. If you are taking notes from written material, record the name of the book that the material is taken from, in case you need to return to it later. Try to paraphrase. Only copy complete sentences if you feel they are very important. Use phrases that will make sense to you later. Try to write clearly. If you can't read your notes later, then taking them was a waste of time.
Some universities and colleges recommend that you use the Cornell method of note-taking. It is a relatively simple system to learn. You would follow the advice already mentioned above, but leave blank spaces between your phrases. In the margins of the page, you would list new vocabulary words or formulas. As soon as possible after class, you would review the notes and fill in the blanks by explaining the material that you just learned in your own words. If done correctly, you can create an effective study guide this way.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. Whether you are attending high school, college or university, there are no bad questions, except for the ones that you forgot to ask.
About the Author:
Brian Foxx is a career counselor and part time online doctoral student. His interests include contributing articles to print publications and websites on online colleges and online degrees for masters and PhD students.
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