THE NOTETAKING PROCESS

what to do before, during and after class

BEFORE CLASS

How should you be preparing your notes for classes or lectures?

Print out and review any lecture notes or slides if available so you can figure out the structure of the class and the main headings that will be covered

Identify main concepts and terms you expect to learn

Search up any unfamiliar terms, phrases or concepts and get definitions or one sentence explanations

Write questions you hope the class will answer 

Make note of any information that could be helpful from previous classes or readings, for example, key people, dates, formulae, definitions, etc. 

Read any set preparation material from textbooks or articles and notes down your immediate thoughts

DURING CLASS

What should you do while in class to get the best notes?

Take notes in your own words

Use consistent abbreviations and symbols 

Include notes for all aspects of the class (eg. discussions and visuals)

Answer any questions you wrote before class 

Add depth and detail to the notes you bring to class (eg. are there any specific examples that the teacher brings up for example?) 

Note new questions or areas of confusion from the lecture so you can review those concepts later

Capture main ideas and sufficient detail (definitions, examples, images)

Make connections between concepts both from within the class and from previous classes 

AFTER CLASS

Now that you have notes, what should you do with them?

Make time to return to your notes after class, at the very least to read over them 

Add clarification and explanation to any areas where you were confused and look up any questions you had (you could also ask your teacher)

Compare notes with a friend or study partner to check for any missed information

Transform your notes into a new format (e.g. mind map, quiz questions, study guide)

Create short summaries with the most important information and keep for later revision (you could even challenge yourself to a certain word limit)