Notes

Notes are basically a condensed form of the information you are required to learn. They
are the highlights that summarize the material. Listening skills are a very important
part of note taking skills. If you do not hear it, you cannot make note of it.

Note taking is probably one of the foremost components to being successful in acquiring
productive study skills. Before you start taking notes, you should find out from the
instructor if the exam will cover the lecture, the textbook, or both. Also find out what
percentage of each will be represented.

HIGHLIGHTING

Highlighters are felt tip pens that come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They
contain an opaque ink which allows you to mark text and still be able to read it. They
add color to the text so it will stand out from the rest. This makes important
information easy to relocate. It helps reduce text to its simplest and shortest form. It
also allows you to create an outline of the material as you are reading.

Even though there are many colors to choose from, the most popular seems to be
yellow. You should select a color that is most pleasing to you. Do not select a color that
is too bright, such as the variety of fluorescent colors on the market. These have a
tendency to be distracting.

LECTURE NOTE TAKING

Always read all assigned materials before attending class. This way you will understand
what is being covered during the lecture. You will be able to ask questions to clear up
any areas that you may have had problems with or did not understand. Always
remember there is no such thing as a stupid or dumb question if you do not know the
answer. A dumb question is one that is asked about material that you should have
known from your studies but did not prepare for. If you are prepared for class, your
questions will be to clear up something you did not understand from your studying.

Note taking from a lecture can prove to be difficult in the beginning but will improve
with practice. You should read your notes after each class meeting. This will help
refresh your memory and will also allow you to fill in any gaps. If they are not legible or
if they need reordering, rewrite them.

Purchase a separate spiral notebook for each class to take lecture notes in. Select
notebooks that have inside pockets where the course syllabus and class handouts can
be kept.

Have all reading and homework assignments completed before class.

The following is a list of helpful hints for lecture note taking.

• At the top of your notes always write the topic or chapter number and title
covered and the date.

• If examples are used, make note of them and their sources if possible. If the
example is from the textbook, include the page number.

• Write down everything that is written on the whiteboard.

• Skip a line when starting a new idea or concept.

• Develop a shorthand or abbreviation system (i.e., Psychology as psy or history as

hist).

• Write down as much of the lecture as possible without missing what the
instructor is covering. It is not necessary to write down every word that is said,
only the key ideas.

• Write notes in a summary fashion.

• Make notes in the left margin of important material or anything that needs
attention.

• Emphasize important points by placing a dash (-) or an asterisk (*) in front of

them or by underlining the phrase or word.

• Try to write the notes in your own words and use as many key terms and
phrases as possible.

• Write notes as neatly and as legibly as possible. If you compose neat notes, or at
least legible ones, you can save valuable time by not having to rewrite them.
Additional time spent here will be rewarded.

• Write down any term you do not know or understand and look it up as soon as
possible and make note of it.

• If you do not understand something that is being covered during the lecture, ask
questions. That is the time to have it explained again. It is your responsibility to
ask if you do not understand. This is why it is so important to be prepared for
class.

• If you miss class for any reason, make sure you get the notes from another
student. Ask the instructor if there is anything that you will need to do in order
to help you make up for the missed lecture.

• While studying make a list of any questions you may have about the lecture so
you can have them cleared up at the next class meeting. Make a written list. Do
not rely on your memory for this.

• Be organized. The key to good notes is organization and neatness.

 • Read your notes as soon after the lecture as possible so any gaps, incomplete
sentences, or thoughts can be completed.

• Always strive to improve your note taking skills.

• Prepare before class. This can save you time and help improve the quality of
your note taking. Having all materials ready before class will add immensely to
your note taking because you will already be familiar with the material being
lectured on in class. Being prepared will make it a much easier task, and the
content and quality of your notes will improve.

TEXTBOOK OUTLINING

Textbook outlining can be tricky. When you first start highlighting, it is very tempting to
highlight everything or at least the majority of the text. Restraint is advised here.

One of the hardest things about highlighting is knowing what and how much to
highlight. Remember the purpose is to highlight main ideas and concepts, not the entire
book.

If it looks important, highlight it!

There are three stages to reading a textbook for studying and outlining: skimming,
thorough reading, and attentive reading.

Skimming is the process of familiarizing yourself with the text by thumbing through it.
When skimming, you are only interested in getting an overview of the material and
looking for a theme.

Thorough reading is concerned with focusing on main and important ideas of the
material. This is the time when you stop and make mental pictures of what you are
reading.

Attentive reading is where the learning and understanding of the material takes place.

The first step is to go through the entire chapter highlighting everything that seems to
be important. Again, at first you will find that you have probably highlighted the
majority of the chapter. That’s okay. The next step is to go back through the chapter
with a pencil and underline the important parts of your highlighting. This way you are
outlining your highlighting. Make pencil marks in the margins of important information
by using a dash or writing out a key term or phrase. Highlight the beginning of each
section of the index for quick and fast reference.
Create questions while you are reading the material. Try to think of questions that
could be asked about the material.

If your schedule is such that you have little time to sit back and relax and maybe watch
your favorite TV show, it is possible to highlight your textbook while relaxing in front of
the TV. Just do not make a habit of it. The mind works faster than you can read, and it
is possible to accomplish more than one task at a time.

STUDY SHEET

The study sheet is compiled from your lecture notes and your textbook outline. This is
where you will bring together the most important information in its shortest form. This
is a condensed version of your notes and textbook outlining. It is also a good place to
put all the lists that you might have to commit to memory.

When it is time to compile your study sheet, follow these guidelines to help you organize
them.

o At the top of the first page of your notes, list the course title, chapter
name and number, and page number.

o Number each page of the notes so they can be kept in order.

o Start each chapter on a separate sheet of paper.

o List the first subheading and its page number.

o List a main term or theme if possible, and then list the main points
about it. These notes should be kept to a minimum including only the
most important and pertinent information, including details and
descriptions of terms.

o Always list page numbers in the margins. This will allow an easy and fast
reference and access to that information if and when it is needed while
studying.

o Indicate in the margins if the information is from your lecture notes (L) or
from the textbook (B).

o Make a separate list of new terms and their definitions. Also include all
italic and bold faced words and their meanings or definitions. This
should be constructed as a separate list in the beginning until you have
formed the approach that best works for you. This list can then be
incorporated into your study sheet or be created as a separate study
sheet.

FLASH CARDS
Three-by-five flash cards can be very helpful. They are a good way to organize your
notes to make them more condensed and more manageable. They are easier to keep in
order and easier to organize and reorganize more so than loose leaf pages. They can be
kept and arranged by subject, topic, textbook notes, lecture notes, new terms, main
concepts, and just about any way imaginable.

They can be readily available and used as a quick reference for studying when a free
moment comes available. Some students find them easier than study sheets.

• Take a minute and think about your note taking abilities. Do you consider them
to be good, weak, or just down right poor? To help you think about them and get
a better idea and picture of them, take a few minutes and complete the following
exercise.

The strongest points of my note taking are:

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

The weakest points of my note taking are:

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Knowing this information can help strengthen and improve your note taking skills.