Sure, getting straight A’s sounds nice, but do you ever wonder how to take effective notes while sitting through a college lecture?
As a recent college grad and current vet student, I’ll be sharing my note-taking strategies, both written and typed, that helped me ace exams and stay organized while balancing a difficult course load.
Laptop or Handwritten
We’ve all heard that handwritten notes are better for actually learning the material, but sometimes you want all of your notes to fit in one place. If that’s you, use a laptop.
If you don’t like the idea of having typed notes, use any notebook larger than 180 pages with either college-ruled or grid paper.
If you prefer to take handwritten notes, but you would like to have your notes all on your laptop, I recommend buying a reusable Everlast notebook. I’ve used it for the past year and a half, and I’ve loved it for in-class notes and for study guides. It’s a great alternative if you don’t have a tablet.
Tablet
In-Class Note Format
I use the same format for notes in class whether I am handwriting or typing.
1. First, write down the title of the slide. If your professor is not using slides, write down your own succinct title for each part of the lecture or discussion.
2. Then, write down only key points from the slide or key talking points that were brought up in lecture. Instead of focusing on writing down every supporting word on the page, try to write down the main ideas that the professor is saying.
OneNote, Notability, GoodNotes, Notion
Pro-Notion tip: If you use Notion, try downloading the Chrome Extension Zorbi. It will allow you to sync your notes as flash cards. It’s simple and effective to use and has a helpful guide on how to set it up. Hello active recall!
Revision and Study Guides
Do you want to know the best way to ace a class? Review your in-class notes after class and begin a study guide that same day!
Think about it, if you review the material, it will stick better. If you start a study guide, whether handwritten or typed, you will be less pressed for time come exam season.
To format a study guide, focus on the main objectives of the lesson. These should either be posted in the slides, or think about which big topics were emphasized in lecture.
1. Write down these objectives/topics as your main bullet points. Use sub-bullet points for important facts. Underline key words to know.
2. Include a useful drawing, diagram, or chart. You can either draw these out or copy and paste if you’re typing your study guide.
3. When exam time comes, you should use active recall to study. This involves use a white board or piece of paper you don’t mind getting messy with notes. Using your objectives, without looking at what you’ve written for the objective, try to remember as much about the topic as you can and write it down and speak out loud while writing. Then, read over your notes to see how you did and make corrections. This is known as the Feynman technique. It takes a bit more time than re-reading notes, but it’s much more effective for remembering and learning concepts.
So there you go. I hope this helps you take more organized notes and achieve those A grades!
Happy studying!
