Lecture Note Taking: Student Responsibilities

1. Before the Lecture

• Familiarize Yourself With the Chapter
  
  Read assigned pages of your text before the lecture.  If you are unable to read before the lecture, at least look through the chapter before the lecture and read the title, chapter objectives, boldface headings and words, visual aids, and summary if provided. The more knowledge you have about a topic, the easier it is to take notes.
  

2. During the Lecture

• Stay Focused
  
  Think about the information being presented by forming questions you would like to have answered, predicting what will be discussed next, and trying to connect the new information to previously learned information.
  
  
• Note Visual and Auditory Clues
  
  Visual clues include information that is written on the chalkboard, presented on an overhead projector, etc. and is usually considered to be important and should be recorded in your notes.
  
  Auditory clues consist of the volume and speed of the instructor’s voice, and changes in either one can indicate important information.  In addition, listen for signal words (e.g., first, second; on the other hand; thus; etc.) as they indicate the organization and direction of the information being presented.
  
  
• Identify Time-Intensive Topics
  
  Note topics in which the instructor devotes a lot of time to and are covered in-depth.  Chances are you will be tested on them later.
  

3. After the Lecture

• Edit Your Notes
  
  Add missing information and/or rewrite any pages that are not legible. Mark any information that is confusing. Also, highlight the topics, main points, and vocabulary terms that were discussed.
  
  
• Review Your Notes
  
  Review your notes before the next class.   Note how the information relates to previous lectures and/or topics in your text.
  

Susan Ziegert, University of Wisconsin – Waukesha, Lecture Note Taking: Student Responsibility