Listening, Note-taking, and Participating in Class

• What are lectures and how do they work?
• How do you improve your note-taking skills?
• How do class notes help you study?
• What should you do before you walk into class?
• Study your notes? Make notes of your notes?
• What are textbooks? How do they work?
• Why should you participate in class?

Modified: 2020-10-06

Basics of Listening and Note-taking

• Hints
  • Review last set of notes before class
  • Record lectures only with permission
    • Realize that relistenening will take as long as the lecture itself!
  • Know what lecture information is already in the text
    • Don't be afraid to ask your instructor!
  • Don't try to write everything down
  • Don't forget to take notes of class discussion too.
• Note-taking systems (Be sure to look at this link)
  • Cornell
    • Two-columns, with "recall" column on left, notes on right
  • Outline
    • Like this Web page
  • Paragraph
    • Write paragraphs
  • List
    • Writing a list
  • Mapping
    • Use diagrams to show relationships
  • Charting
    • Useful for organized lecturers and for chronological topics
• Note-taking techniques
  • Identify main ideas
    • Use underlining, asterisks (*), or highliters
  • Don't write down everything
    • It's impossible
  • Organize lectures from disorganized lecturers
    • Not a problem in this class :-)
  • Revisit your notes after class
    • Take notes of your notes!
• Class notes and homework
  • When doing homework, start by reviewing your notes
  • Review examples, problems, and exercises
  • Do your homework
  • If you have trouble, try hard before giving up
  • Rest briefly
  • Finish you work
  • If you cannot, get help from classmates, instructor, or tutoring center

What To Do in Class

• Before Class
  • Be sure to read assignments ahead of class
  • Know the syllabus
    • One place to keep your syllabus is taped to the inside of your textbook
  • Read and study auxiliary materials provided
  • Reread notes just before class
  • Keep an open mind
  • Organize, organize, organize
    • Develop a system you like
  • Know your current grade and keep track of assignments
    • Keep everything!
    • Make copies of assignments, just in case
• In Class
  • Be ready to listen
  • Try to capture main concepts and central ideas
  • Listen for new ideas
  • Be sure to understand what you are hearing
  • Repeat what you hear to yourself
  • Make a decision of what you have heard
    • e.g., important, somewhat important, or not important
  • Ask questions in class
    • Check first to see how instructor wants to handle questions
  • Try to put all the pieces of lecture together into a coherent whole
  • Be open to ideas that counter your own
  • Match what you are hearing to what you already know
    • Don't reject new ideas out of hand
    • Don't accept new ideas without thinking about them
• After Class
  • Forgetting looks like this
  • Review your notes and take notes of your notes
    • Use your computer
  • Prepare ahead of time for the next session of class
• Online Class Hints
  • Treat It Like an In-Person Class
  • Form a Virtual Study Group.
  • Use the Resources Your Teacher Provides.
  • Have a Dedicated Study Space.
  • Eliminate Distractions.
  • Take Notes.
  • Beware of Sneaky Deadlines.
  • Check Your Email Regularly.

Taking Non-verbal Notes

• Nonlecture Courses
  • Group discussion
  • Supplemental instruction courses
• Quantitative Courses (e.g., math, chemistry, physics)
  • Cumulative nature of such courses
  • Be more organized than usual
  • Keep your old notes handy
  • Download any materials provided by instructor
  • Use loose-leaf paper and only write on one side (save other side for additional notes later)
  • Use erasable pen or pencil to edit notes
  • Organize your notebook with notes, homework, assignments, and other materials
  • Place handouts right after notes you took that day
  • Keep everything!
• Hints for Quantitative Note-taking
  • Write down equations, formulas, diagrams, charts, graphs, and definitions
  • Quote instructor
  • Learn and use scientific symbols, abbreviations, and notation
  • Copy and work examples shown in class
  • Pay attention to classmates questions and answers to those questions
  • Use your own symbols to indicate important points (e.g., underlining, asterisks (*), or exclamation points (!)
  • After class, compare notes to textbook, especially for diagrams and equations

Cell Phone Camera

• Many students take pictures with their cell phones. Be sure you have permission first.

Recording (Audio or Audio/Video)

• Ask permission FIRST
• Takes more time

Speaking Up in Class

• Hints
  • Sit near front
  • Look at lecturer
  • Pay attention
  • Ask questions (raise your hand)
  • Practice speaking up in class
  • There are no stupid questions\
  • Say "I don't know."
  • Share recent books, journal articles, or newspaper articles

Back to Freshman Seminar