Your experience

1. Your experience ‘Should I jot down everything that the lecturer says?’ ‘Should my notes be written very clearly?” If you want to know more about how you should take notes in lectures, try this tutorial.

2. What you’ll learn • In this tutorial, you will learn about good note-taking skills that you can apply in lectures.

3. Importance of note-taking • Adequate notes are a necessary adjunct to efficient study and learning in the tertiary. Note taking can be done during lectures or when doing revision and reading. • The purpose of note-taking in lectures and tutorials is to record your understanding of the ideas and concepts discussed in class for future uses such as essay writing, preparing to read, and studying for examinations and tests.

4. Activity Below are some common note-taking skills / habits that students adopt in lectures. Consider each one in turn and determine whether the skill/habit is a good technique or not. • I listen actively to what the lecturer says to ensure that I understand the point before I write. (good) • If I disagree with the points, I will keep arguing in my mind. (not good) • I raise questions if appropriate. (good) • I develop and use standard method of note-taking that utilises punctuation, abbreviations, margins, etc. (good) • I use large notebooks to take notes. (good) • I leave some blanks between points. (good) • I take down everything that the lecturer says. (Not good) • I pay attention to cues for important points, transition from one point to the next, repetition of points for emphasis, changes in voice inflections, enumeration of a series of points, etc. (good) • I dont pay attention to some minor points which do not seem related to each other in the lecture. (good) • I pay attention to suggestions and information about the assignments. (good) • My notes are legible enough for my own reading, and I always use abbreviations of my own invention. (good) • I copy all the things written on the board. (good) • I sit at the back of the class. (Not good)

5. do listen actively - if possible think while listening and before you write - but don't get behind. • be open minded on points you disagree with. Don't let arguing interfere with your note-taking. • do raise questions if appropriate. • do develop and use a standard method of note-taking that utilises punctuation, abbreviations, margins, etc. • do take and keep notes in a large notebook. The only merit of a small notebook is convenience in carrying but that is not your main objective. A large notebook allows you to make use of indentation and outline forms in your notes. • do leave some blanks as you move from one point to the next so that you can fill in additional points later if necessary. Your objective is to take helpful notes, not to save paper. • do not try to take down everything that the lecturer says. It is impossible in the first place and unnecessary in the second place because not everything is of equal importance. Spend more time listening and attempt to take down the main points. If you are writing as fast as you can, you cannot be as discriminating a listener. There may be times, however, when it is more important to write than to think.

6. do pay attention to cues for important points, transition from one point to the next, repetition of points for emphasis, changes in voice inflections, enumeration of a series of points, etc. so that you can follow closely the structure of the lecture. • many lecturers do attempt to present a few major points and several minor points in a lecture. The rest is explanatory material and examples. Try to see the main points and do not get lost in a barrage of minor points which do not seem related to each other. Also, being alert to cues about what the professor thinks is important. • do get suggestions and information about the assignments precisely - ask questions if you're not sure. • do make your original notes legible enough for your own reading, and use abbreviations of your own invention when possible. Although neatness is a virtue in some respect, it does not necessarily enhance your learning. The effort required to recopy notes can be better spent in rereading them and thinking about them. • do copy everything written on the board, regardless. Have you ever stopped to think that every blackboard scribble may be a clue to an exam item? You may not be able to integrate what is on the board into your lecture notes, but if you have copied it, it may serve as a useful clue for your later use. • do sit close to the front of the class, there are fewer distractions and it is easier to hear, see and attend to important information.

7. Summary • In this tutorial, you have been introduced to some common note-taking skills/habits.