Note-Taking

Ask yourself:

• Do I use complete sentences?
• Do I use any form at all?
• Are my notes clear or confusing?
• Do I capture main points and all subpoints?
• Do I streamline using abbreviations and shortcuts?

Six Important Reasons to Take Notes

• Notes trigger memories of lecture/reading.
• Your notes are often a source of valuable clues for what information the instructor thinks most important.
• Notes create a resource for test preparation.
• Notes inscribe information kinesthetically.
• Taking notes helps you to concentrate in class.
• Your notes often contain information that cannot be found elsewhere (i.e., in your
  textbook).

Guidelines for Note-Taking

• Concentrate on the lecture or on the reading material.
• Take notes consistently.
• Take notes selectively. Do NOT try to write down every word. The average lecturer speaks approximately 125-140 words per minute, and the average note-taker writes at a rate of about 25 words per minute.
• Translate ideas into your own words.
• Organize notes into some sort of logical form.
• Write legibly. Notes are useless if you cannot read them later!
• Don′t be concerned with spelling and grammar.

Taken from Stanford University