Note Taking 101

Now that the semester is in full swing and we have a few weeks under our belt everyone probably has their first exam coming up. You might be thinking about preparing and looking over your first notes of the class. How do your notebooks look? Orderly? Neat? Do your notes make sense? Are you looking to revise them in time for the exam or the class review? Well I am here to offer you a few tips on making sure you are ready to conquer your first exam from using your fabulous new note taking skills.

1.)    Always go to class prepared. Do your best to pay attention and ask yourself questions in the margin of your notebook. If you don’t understand something, highlight it and ask the teacher after class or shoot them an email.

2.)    Go into class with a good attitude. By going into class with a positive attitude so you will want to learn and you will absorb the information better.

3.)    Find a way that you like to take notes. Think about what works for you. Do you like highlighting, using sticky notes? Use what works best for you.

4.)    Make sure you are focused on the content and include ideas in your notes. Add in pointers, examples, charts, and so on. This will help bring ideas together while studying.

5.)    Go back into your notes and edit. At the end of the day it is important to think about everything you learned in class. Go through and make sure you understand what the professor discussed in class.

If you would like more in depth information please consult this website: http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/academic1/taking-notes-5-college-success-tips/

Also, if you use an iPad in class there are a variety of apps that you can check out to keep your notes flowing when your professor is giving a lecture. The following apps may help you out: Notability, Evernote, UPad, Noteshelf, and Pages. This website has their description if you would like more information http://wirescrossedblog.tumblr.com/post/16947609876/top-five-ipad-note-taking-apps-for-students.

As always the First Year Experience Office in Meier 115 is here for you! Feel free to stop by for any advice you may need or if you need help honing in on one skill for note taking. Have a great semester! 🙂