How to take clear and
readable notes
in class.
One of the fundamental pillars of the study are the notes you take in class, which will help you later create your study material (notes, diagrams, summaries, etc.). That is why it is so important to take good notes in class. Now, you will wonder how you should take notes in class so here you have some tips and guidelines that will might help you take notes in class and create A+ notes.
SET UP:
1. You must remain silent, focused and aware of what you are doing and says the teacher.
2. Pay attention to the beginning and end of the explanation. At first they are usually state the objectives of what is to be explained. And in the end the conclusions or make a summary with the most important ideas.
3. Read the topic first. If you read the subject the day before, your notes will be magnificent as they will be much more structured and will provide a special attention to those points that you did not understand at home.
4. Read how the notes of the previous day ended. Before starting the teacher the explanation of the day dedicates three minutes to read the notes that you took the day before.
MATERIAL:
1. Blank sheets of paper, stored in a tabbed binder or a A4 size notebook.
2. Do not mix: Try not to mix the different subjects in the same notebook if it is made of fixed sheets.
3. If you write on single sheets it is important to write on each sheet the date, subject and folio number. When you start a new topic, use a new sheet.
HOW TO DO IT:
1. Write down only the main ideas: It cannot be copied to dictation. You should write down the main ideas with your words but rigorously. You will only copy the data such as dates, definitions, formulas, names...
2. Identify titles: It is necessary to clearly know the title of each section and subsection in which you all are. You can ask the teacher.
3. If you get lost: Leave a blank space and then you will complete it asking the teacher or your classmates. As long as the teacher is explaining you should not try to fill in the gaps because you will miss the what the teacher says right now.
4. Separate ideas: Dedicate a different paragraph to each idea that you present the teacher. And leave some space between paragraph and paragraph. Always search the clarity.
5. Use abbreviations: It's about saving time. It also facilitates visual memory. Abbreviations must be clear and must always be for yourself. You should use them whenever you can. There are supported abbreviations officially and others not. Each subject can have specific abbreviations.
6. Leave spaces: You have to leave spaces in the margins (especially when left) to later be able to annotate comments or supplements to the notes. You will also have to leave spaces between paragraphs.
7. There should not only be texts: But also graphs, drawings, formulas, schemes ... that the teacher makes or comments on. You can also do reference by page number to the illustration that the teacher is commenting at that time.
8. You can use arrows: Arrows are used to indicate relationship between concepts on the same sheet. They can go from one paragraph to another. Do not abuse arrows because your notes will become gibberish.
9. Attentive to the teacher's expressions: It is essential to capture the indications made by the teacher of this type: "this is very important", "This idea is key", "this must be mastered", "from this formula it is deduce the others "," concluding ... ". In these cases it is good to put in the margin "EXAM", or something similar.
10. Write coherent sentences. It's not just about copying a lot information, but also that the sentences you write make sense in themselves. If not, the notes will be of little use and we will have to lose a long time to find out what the teacher meant.
AFTER:
1. Go clean? Don't go clean: It's about taking notes "decently" even if they are not a work of art. Instead of losing the time at home passing notes to clean, spend that time completing them or study.
2. It will only be cleared if the teacher requires us to have some notes impeccable and values them for the note.
3. Ask the teacher: As you explain, we may ask you to clarify some point or repeat. But we can't ask you to dictate the notes to us. No abuse. Keep in mind that some teachers do not allow you to ask questions until the end of the explanation. Please respect it.
4. Review your notes: At home, if possible the same day, review the notes. Especially if the topic was difficult, in order to fix knowledge.
5. Use the margins you left blank: They will help us to: target the key ideas, mark the concepts to remember, expand, summarize, write down doubts, possibility of that section be on the official exam, personal comments...
6. Consult colleagues: Agree with friends if you are going to miss class. You should have some reliable companions to whom you can ask for the notes if necessary. You will not only ask for the notes. Instead, you will ask the teacher's comments.
Once you’ve read the text on the topic, it’s time to test your knowledge.
Solve the following practice exercises!