Topic 5 : Taking lecture note

5.1 Note-taking strategies

How to take notes ?

1. write concise notes 

2. record lectures on a voicenote

3. pay close attention 

4. highlight and underlines your note

5. get rids of distraction 

6. share our lecture notes to friends 

5.2 Note-taking using the Cornell Method

The Cornell Note Taking method discourages the use of long sentences. It is about short notes that you write down in the right-hand column using recognizable abbreviations and symbols. Prior to the note taking, draw up a list of abbreviations and expressions. This makes the note-taking process even easier.

EXAMPLE :

ADDITIONAL TIPS ON HOW TO WRITE NOTES 

Don’t rely on your memory alone. Many stu-

dents think they should be able to remember the

information presented in a lecture if they pay

careful attention. Unfortunately, we tend to forget

rapidly. With four to seven weeks between exams,

taking notes is critical.

❏ Use a full-size notebook. Use a separate

81⁄2-by-11-inch notebook for each of your classes.

Using smaller notebooks can unconsciously lead

to writing fewer notes.

❏ Include the topic in your notes. By including

the topic, you’re helping to organize your mind

for listening and your notes for later review.

❏ Leave some space in your notes. By leav-

ing a 21⁄2- to 31⁄2-inch margin on the left side of

the page, you’ll be able to add recall questions

when you edit your notes. Also, leave a blank

line or two before you write each of your head-

ings in case the professor adds information

later in the lecture.

❏ Use common abbreviations in your notes. By

using some familiar abbreviations, you can get the

information down more quickly. Don’t use too

many abbreviations, though, or you won’t know

what they mean. See the list of common abbrevia-

tions on the Web site.

❏ Skip a few spaces if you miss

information. Skip a line or two and go on to the

next point. If you miss a keyword, draw a line .