{"id":17767,"date":"2017-03-16T10:48:23","date_gmt":"2017-03-16T14:48:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/?p=17767"},"modified":"2019-03-04T12:37:24","modified_gmt":"2019-03-04T17:37:24","slug":"6-note-taking-skills-you-need-to-master-in-college","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/6-note-taking-skills-you-need-to-master-in-college\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Note-Taking Skills You Need to Master in College"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing how to take accurate and useful notes is a vital skill. Not only do notes help you recall important information, but writing things down can also help you learn that information better and faster. Being able to take good notes is crucial no matter what college degree you\u2019re pursuing, but unfortunately note-taking isn\u2019t a skill that is generally taught. So how do you learn how to take good notes? <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I have some tips for you, which I\u2019ve grouped into six easy categories. Keep these tips in mind so you can take good notes, which will help you succeed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[divider]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">SEE ALSO:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/6-simple-tips-to-study-effectively\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">6 Simple but Proven Study Tips<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/6-simple-tips-to-study-effectively\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2307\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/studytips-728x1024.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"232\" height=\"326\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>[divider]<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>1. Prepare &amp; Organize<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Come to class prepared, and be organized.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read your assignments <\/span><b>before<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> coming to class. Note-taking is easier, and comes more naturally when you already have some understanding of the material.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start each class, or lecture, on a new page. It is essential to put a date on every page of notes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be sure to add a topic, or heading, on the top of each page to help you find specific information easily.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write on only one side of the paper for better legibility.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use loose paper notebooks to make it easier to organize your notes when you review them, or when you need to rearrange them, add additional materials like handouts, and\/or insert notes borrowed from classmates.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t worry about using up all the available space. Give yourself room to add information as your professor lectures, or when you make connections in class.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>2. Note-Taking System<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create your own note-taking system &#8211; outline, paragraphs, charts, diagrams or graphs. There is no right way to organize your notes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experiment with different ways and see which works best for you.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find ways to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/3-fun-and-creative-ways-to-study-and-prepare-for-exams\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">add visuals to your notes<\/a>, as any kind of visual helps you emphasize what is most important to remember.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make your notes as brief as possible and develop a system of abbreviations you can use wherever possible.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>3. Think, then Write<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think about what you\u2019re writing down.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s not the best idea to write down what your professor is saying word for word. If you do this, you will have no time to think about what you&#8217;re writing and why you&#8217;re writing it down. And this will ultimately\u00a0make you fall behind.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you listen to the professor and take notes, be sure to think about what information might be on a test or what might be an essay topic for later.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on the points that are directly related to your reading and\/or\u00a0your professor&#8217;s emphasis points.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be attentive to verbal cues from your professor that indicates essential information, and highlight any information that your professor thinks is important.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>4. Include Questions<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you listen and take notes, make sure to add any questions you have and record what other students have asked the professor. This will help you remain aware of any gaps in your understanding, and will keep you focused on those parts of the material when reviewing your notes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep a list of questions. This will give you an easy reference point when you need to review your notes again for any upcoming assignments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>5. New Content<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pay close attention to the content being introduced to you. Definitions of words are also significant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing what to include, and what not to include, in your notes is sometimes difficult. If you are not sure, write down the note and decide later if you should keep or discard it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rely on the details and facts that explain the main points mentioned.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing down the important words and phrases would be quicker and more effective than writing full sentences.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure that your notes make sense (to you); otherwise, they will essentially be of no use\u00a0.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><b>6. Review<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reviewing your notes after class is known to be the most important part of note-taking and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/6-simple-tips-to-study-effectively\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">critical to increasing learning capacity<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It would be a smart idea to review your notes within 24 hours and edit words and phrases that don\u2019t make sense to you. This is the time to write out the abbreviated words that you wrote in a hurry during the class lecture.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fill in keywords and questions and highlight concepts that you don\u2019t yet fully understand. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider rewriting or typing your notes after your initial review, which will further help you remember the material.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most students, unfortunately, don\u2019t know how important it is to take proper notes and how much it can improve their retention of lecture material. Students who follow the guidelines I\u2019ve set out on how to take good notes will find that they can improve their college grades and alleviate a lot of stress when it comes to studying for an exam. Mastering these note-taking tips will help you succeed in college.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[divider]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/3-fun-and-creative-ways-to-study-and-prepare-for-exams\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Revolutionize Note-Taking: 3 Fun and Creative Ways to Study for Exams<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/3-fun-and-creative-ways-to-study-and-prepare-for-exams\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11038\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Fun-and-Creative-Ways-to-Study-for-an-Exam-511x1024.png\" alt=\"Fun and Creative Ways to Study for an Exam\" width=\"300\" height=\"602\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Knowing how to take accurate and useful notes is a vital skill. Not only do notes help you recall important information, but writing things down can also help you learn that information better and faster. Being able to take good notes is crucial no matter what college degree you\u2019re pursuing, but unfortunately note-taking isn\u2019t a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":17905,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[228,585],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-student-guide","category-study-tips"],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/notetaking.jpeg",830,533,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/notetaking-224x144.jpeg",224,144,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/notetaking-300x193.jpeg",300,193,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/notetaking.jpeg",830,533,false],"large":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/notetaking.jpeg",830,533,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/notetaking.jpeg",830,533,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/notetaking.jpeg",830,533,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Ria Wadhawan","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/author\/ria\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Knowing how to take accurate and useful notes is a vital skill. Not only do notes help you recall important information, but writing things down can also help you learn that information better and faster. Being able to take good notes is crucial no matter what college degree you\u2019re pursuing, but unfortunately note-taking isn\u2019t a&hellip;","featured_media_src_url":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/notetaking.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17767"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17767\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17905"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}