Taking effective notes
Learn useful note taking tips. Note taking helps with understanding and retention of lecture and reading material.
At university it is essential that you learn how to take good lecture notes. Note taking helps with understanding and retention of lecture and reading material. You will also need to refer to your notes at a later date as you study for tests and exams.
You can enhance the quality of your notes by following some note-taking tips such as using white space, developing your own system and format for recording information, and reworking your notes. It is also important to become an effective listener. Download our guides for more note-taking advice.
You can take notes using pen and paper, but you can also use technology. One research study revealed that taking notes with pen and paper leads to better learning. However, a group of students came up with a way to take notes collaboratively by using a shared Google Doc.
How to take notes in class: the five best methods—College info geek
In the video below, Thomas Frank explains five different systems.
No one way of note taking will suit everyone. Talk to your friends to find out what they do, or make a one-to-one appointment with a Learning Adviser to discuss different ways to take notes in and out of class.