Most college students think they're pretty good at note-taking. And yet, not one in 10 students takes a good set of notes. Here are 10 tips for taking excellent lecture notes—from the professors' perspective:
1. Write more, not less. You should be writing for most of the lecture. Rule of thumb: 15 minutes = 1 page of notes.
2. Write down the professor's ideas, not yours. Some students lard their notes with their own questions, reflections, opinions, and free associations. But the point of taking notes is to get a good rendition of what the professor is saying. That's what'll be on the test. Leave your own thoughts for afterward or for your personal journal.
3. Forget about complicated note-taking "systems." There's no need to use the Cornell Note-taking System, Mind Mapping, or the "five R's of good note taking" (whatever they may be). It's more than enough just to simply number the professor's points (and perhaps have a sub-number or two). Worrying about systems will just slow you down and can distort the actual "shape" of the lecture.
Extra Pointer. Be sure to set off subordinate points in your notes (that is, points that somehow contribute to the lecture but are not on the main path). Indent, and clearly identify, any illustrations, examples, comparisons, and interesting (though not central) asides. And whenever a professor uses a technical or unfamiliar term, be sure to write down—in the best case, word for word—the prof's definition of that term.
4. Adjust your attention span. You're used to rapid-fire content. The three-minute YouTube video, the IM, the text message, the Facebook "poke," and—worst of all—the 140-character Twitter. All of these are quick and dirty bursts of content. But the professor's points are often developed over 15- to 20-minute segments. Train yourself to focus—and to write—for longer intervals.
5. Pay special attention to the beginning and the end. Often the most important points of the lecture are the first two minutes and the last two minutes, right when many students are text-messaging or packing their bags. Be sure to carefully write down these introductory and summary comments that express the professor's idea of the key points of the lecture.
4-Star Tip: Give each lecture a title. That'll force you to locate the single most important point of that presentation.
6. Look for verbal clues. Professors are under pressure to flag the most important points with phrases like "the key point is ...," "it's especially important to note ...," and "one should keep in mind that ..." Look for these indicators of the cornerstones of the lecture. And try to write down—word for word, if you can—what follows them.
7. Focus on the structure of the lecture. Every lecture has a plot: a central point with a series of steps that build up this point. Keep focused on the plot—and its subplots—and try to capture it in your notes. Continually ask yourself: What is the overall point of the lecture and how does each individual point help develop the overall plot?
8. Beware of PowerPoints. PowerPoints (and things written on the board) are usually quite sketchy outlines—reminders to the professors of what to say. Make sure you write the explanations of these outlines in your notes. Come test time, you'll be behind the eight ball if all you have in your notes are these prompts the professor uses.
9. Take notes at all class activities. Discussion sections, review sessions, individual meetings in office hours—all these should be "noted." You never know what might come in handy come test or paper time.
Finally, and most importantly:
10. Always do it for yourself. Don't outsource your note-taking to your friend, to the professional "lecture notes" (sold at the campus store), or to your note-taking group. Taking notes for yourself is the single best way to engage in—and remember—the lecture. Not to mention, it'll actually get you to go the lecture, which is an achievement in itself.
