Taking “good” notes- Writing down information in class to help you study later

As a college student, you are expected to be able to capture the important information discussed in lectures. Taking notes in class is essential for remembering information later on —it’s also one of the most complicated tasks a student needs to be able to do.

Unless you’re a transcriptionist or an exceptionally fast writer, you probably won’t be able to write down every word that your professors say. Even if you could, you might not want to, as you’d have to sift through everything to find the key information. Trying to write down every word might leave you with large gaps and unable to really pay attention to the instructor’s meaning.

The better alternative is to make use of material provided by the professor (e.g. PowerPoint slides), add other information that is covered, and highlight important points. These note-taking strategies can help you take notes that will help you study and work on assignments. These note-taking strategies can help you take notes that will help you study and work on assignments.

Want to learn more strategies? Check out our other study skills tips.