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Taking Notes

Taking notes in class

Start a new page for each new class each day.
Date it. Leave space between topics or ideas so you can scan the page more easily later.

Take down key words and concepts, not sentences.
Develop your own system of abbreviations or symbols (such as w/ for “with” or math symbols such as > or =) to take down key points.


Don't overdo it. 
Don't go crazy taking notes, though: You'll be frantic if you try to write down every word that's said in class. And if you focus too much on getting your notes right, you might miss important points. Some people actually learn better by listening, writing down a few key points, and then going over the material after class when they have more time.

Take notes like you are texting. 
Texting has taught you all about abbreviating and leaving out all but the most important words in sentences. It’s much faster for you to write “Xndr Gr8 kng mcdnia” in your notes than “Alexander the Great was the king of Macedonia.”

Listen for word clues from the teacher.
Teachers often signal what’s important to note, using phrases such as “the three incidents that led to the War of 1812 were… …” If your teacher gets loud or animated about a concept, or they repeat it more than once, that’s a big clue that you should write it down! If your teacher takes the time to write something on the board, you should write it down too. If your teacher says, “This will be on the test,” well, you had better write that down—and put a star next to it to make sure you remember to study it.

Ask. 
Don't be afraid to ask the teacher to repeat something you miss. If the teacher's going too fast, chances are your classmates will also be relieved to hear the information again. If you don't want to ask in class, see your teacher afterwards. It's much easier than wondering if you got the notes right as you study.

Add visuals to your notes whenever possible. 
Create your own pictures, graphs, or diagrams. Recreate visuals that your teacher shares in class or related pictures from the textbook. This will give you more than one way to think about the content, so you’ll have an easier time remembering it.

Review notes after class to make sure they’re accurate and complete.
Doing this just before starting homework in a particular subject can help you focus on the topic at hand.

Taking notes from reading

Many experts advise students to pre-read a chapter to get an idea about what it is about, rather than simply wading in. You can grasp the main themes by first reading the introduction text, subheads, graphics, photo captions, summary paragraphs. Getting an overview will help you  get focused on what’s important as you start to take notes, rather than getting mired in the details.

Accuracy and attribution are essential skills journalists learn in preparing their stories. These skills are equally important to you  when you are preparing to write a research paper or take a test.

Learn to summarize information in your own words, rather than copying the textbook. This will ensure that you understand what you have read and help you learn it. Get in the habit of putting quotation marks around passages that are direct quotes from an author so you can attribute words that aren’t your own.


Portions of this page are adapted from GreatSchools.org

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