How to Take Excellent Notes

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By JanieWrites
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Getting Ready to Take Notes

Learning in college classes takes work on the part of the student. Just showing up for class and listening is not going to work because you will not remember enough of the material to be successful in the exams or any projects assigned by the professor. Short-term memory (what you use when listening) does not store the information, but if you write it down in the form of notes, you can transfer the information into long-term memory. Once you have the information in long-term memory, it is there to be recalled for exams or other projects. Taking notes is an art that can be learned by following the following steps.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Notebook
Pens or pencils

Step 1

Make sure you read all assignments before coming to class. It is much easier to learn something if you are already familiar with it. Taking notes on material you have already read about is going to help transfer the information to long-term memory faster. Keep in mind that the professor will be adding additional material that is not covered in the text, so listen for new concepts and write them down.
Step 2

Be ready to take notes when the professor starts the discussion. Have your notebook open to a blank page, have pens or pencils ready to go. It is a good idea to bring colored pens or pencils so you can highlight different key ideas in different colors. Make sure all pens work and pencils are sharpened before class starts. Come to class mentally prepared to take notes.
Step 3

Start taking notes as soon as the professor starts the lecture. Don’t wait until you think you hear something important – consider everything important, especially at first. Do not write down every word, but do write down key words, main ideas, supporting details, facts, terms, and definitions. Exams are comprehensive and you will need to know the details if you want to be successful.
Step 4

Pay attention to cue words. Cue words are words that the professor will use to tell you something important is coming up. Some examples of cue words are:
• Cue words for examples: for example; for instance; to illustrate
• Cue words for organization: the six steps are; next; finally; first; second; third
• Cue words for additional points to remember: furthermore; in addition; also
• Cue words for opposing ideas: on the other hand; in contrast; although; however
There are many more cue words that will tell you something important is coming up. When you hear them, listen carefully and write down the points that are addressed after the cue words.
Step 5

If the professor thinks something is important enough to write on the board, it is important to write down in your notes. Don’t just write what is on the board, however. Write down what the professor says about what he or she is writing. Highlight the key concepts with different colored pens or a highlighter. Jot down key words that will help you remember why the concepts are highlighted.
Step 6

Revise your notes as soon as possible after the lecture is over. You will remember more and be able to fill in any blanks. Revising your notes helps transfer the information into long term memory. If possible, get together with other students and compare notes in a study session, filling in missing information an discussing the concepts. Discussion of the concepts will also help root the information in your long-term memory.
Step 7

Review your revised notes at least twice before you take an exam. The first review should be with a few days of the day you revise the notes and the second review should be prior to the exam, preferably in a study session with other students so you can again discuss the information.