How to Write a Lecture Report

If your instructor writes notes, be sure to take them down

In many college and trade school classes, much of the teaching material is presented in lecture format. Lecturing is where the instructor speaks in front of the class for anywhere from a few minutes to over an hour. Far from a chance to relax and simply listen, it's important to take notes, and many times you're required to turn in a report on the lecture itself.

Things You'll Need

• Paper or computer to take notes

Instructions

1. Listen for keywords. If your class is on anatomy, your instructor might begin an important section with the phrase, "This is how the heart functions." Exchange "heart" for any other part of the anatomy, but the idea is the same. Take notes underlining key words, for instance, "ventricle" for the heart.

2. Add in a few notes that will show you heard the lecturer's intent. Not everything in your report needs to be factual. If the lecturer made a comparison of the heart and a car's motor, include that to show you were paying close attention to the lecture.

3. Spell check your notes. This is important because the notes you take as you listen are very rarely spelled correctly, particularly when you are taking technical notes. If you took notes on a computer or other device, you can use spell check. If handwritten, check them in your course books or online.

4. Write the report using the outline of your notes. There's no need to mix up or reorder the information, report it as spoken by the lecturer.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep a copy of your report. It might seem like just an assignment now, but it will be very helpful during tests and finals.

References

• Lecture Notes

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish