Effective Note-Taking in Class

Do you sometimes struggle to determine what to write down during lectures? Have you ever found
yourself wishing you could take better or more effective notes? Note-taking in class can be
intimidating, but with a few strategic practices, anyone can take clear, effective notes. This handout
will discuss the importance of note-taking, qualities of good notes, and tips for becoming a better
note-taker.

Why good notes matter

In-class benefits
Taking good notes in class is an important part of academic success in high school and college.
Actively taking notes during class can help you focus and better understand main concepts. Good
note-taking will improve your active listening, comprehension of material, and retention. It will help
you better remember what you hear and see.

Post-class benefits
After class, good notes are crucial for reviewing and studying class material so that you better understand it and can
prepare appropriately for tests and exams. Efficient and concise notes can save you time, energy, and confusion
that often results from trying to make sense of disorganized, overwhelming, insufficient, or wordy notes. Good notes
can provide a great resource for creating outlines and studying.

How to take good notes in class

There’s a lot going on during class, so you may not be able to capture every main concept perfectly, and that’s okay.
Part of good note-taking may include going back to your notes after class (ideally within a day or two) to check
for clarity and fill in any missing pieces. In fact, doing so can help you better organize your thoughts and to
determine what’s most important. With that in mind, it’s important to have good source material.

Preparing to take good notes in class

The first step to taking good notes in class is to come to class prepared. Here are some steps you
can take to improve your note-taking before class even begins:

 Preview your text or reading assignments prior to lecture. Previewing allows you to identify
main ideas and concepts that will most likely be discussed during the lecture.
 Briefly review notes from previous class sessions to help you situate the new ideas you’ll learn
in this class.
 Keep organized to help you find information more easily later. Title your page with the class
name and date.
  Keep separate notebook sections or notebooks for each class and keep all notes for each
class together in one space, in chronological order.

Note-taking during class

Now that you are prepared and organized, what can you do to take good notes while listening to a
lecture in class? Here are some practical steps you can try to improve your in-class note-taking:

 If you are seeking conceptual information, focus on the main points the teacher makes, rather
than copying down the entire presentation or every word the teacher says. Remember, if you
review your notes after class, you can always fill in any gaps or define words or concepts you
didn’t catch in class.
 If you are learning factual information, transcribing most of the lecture verbatim can help with
recall for short-answer test questions, but only if you study these notes within 24 hours.
 Record questions and thoughts you have or content that is confusing to you that you want to
follow-up on later or ask your teacher about.
 Jot down keywords, dates, names, etc. that you can then go back and define or explain later.
 Take visually clear, concise, organized, and structured notes so that they are easy to read and
make sense to you later. See different formats of notes below for ideas.
 If you want your notes to be concise and brief, use abbreviations and symbols. Write in bullets
and phrases instead of complete sentences. This will help your mind and hand to stay fresh
during class and will help you access things easier and quicker after class. It will also help
you focus on the main concepts.
 Be consistent with your structure. Pick a format that works for you and stick with it so that your
notes are structured the same way each day.

Determining what’s important enough to write down

You may be asking yourself how you can identify the main points of a lecture. Here are some tips
for recognizing the most important points in a lecture:

 Introductory remarks often include summaries of overviews of main points.

 Listen for signal words/phrases like, “There are four main…” or “To sum up…” or “A major
reason why…”
 Repeated words or concepts are often important.
 Non-verbal cues like pointing, gestures, or a vocal emphasis on certain words, etc. can
indicate important points.
 Final remarks often provide a summary of the important points of the lecture.

Different formats for notes

There is no right format to use when taking notes. Rather, there are many different structures and
styles that can be used. What’s important is that you find a method that works for you and
encourages the use of good note-taking qualities and stick with it. Here are a few types of formats
that you may want to experiment with:
1. Cornell Notes: This style includes sections for the date, essential question, topic, notes, questions,
and a summary. Check out this link for more explanation.

2. Outline: An outline organizes the lecture by main points, allowing room for examples and details.

3. Flowchart/concept map: A visual representation of notes is good for content that has an order or
steps involved. See more about concept mapping on our website page.

4. Charting Method: A way to organize notes from lectures with a substantial amount of facts
through dividing key topics into columns and recording facts underneath.

5. Sentence Method: One of the simplest forms of note taking, helpful for disseminating which
information from a lecture is important by quickly covering details and information.

Consider…what’s the best strategy for you: handwritten, digital, or

both?
Taking notes in a way to fully understand all information presented conceptually and factually may
differ between students. For instance, working memory, or the ability to process and manipulate
information in-the-moment, is often involved in transcribing lecture notes, which is best done digitally;
but there are individual differences in working memory processes that may affect which method works
best for you. Research suggests that handwriting notes can help us learn and remember conceptual
items better than digital notes. However, there are some pros to typing notes on a computer as well,
including speed and storage. Consider these differences before deciding what is best for you.

Handwritten Digital

Easier to create diagrams and illustrations Faster; easier to take higher volume of notes

Sometimes better for visual learners Easier to edit and reorganize for later
studying

Provides more focus for students prone to Can be backed up, shared, searched, etc.
digital distraction

Can be better for comprehension and Can be better for comprehension and
retention of conceptual information retention of factual information

Follow up after class

Part of good note-taking includes revisiting your notes a day or so after class. During this time, check
for clarity, fill in definitions of key terms, organize, and figure out any concepts you may have missed
or not fully understood in class. Figure out what may be missing and what you may need to add or
even ask about.

Many times, even after taking good notes, you will need to utilize other resources in order to review,
solidify, question, and follow-up with the class. Don’t forget to use the resources available to you,
which can only enhance your note-taking. These resources include:

 Tutoring: Make an appointment with your teacher to ask questions about concepts in class
that confused you.
 Reviewing your notes: Write a summary of your notes in your own words, write questions
about your notes, fill in areas, or chunk them into categories or sections.
 Self-testing: Use your notes to make a study guide and self-test to prepare for exams.

Works consulted
“The Pen is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking.”
Mueller, P., and Oppenheimer, D. Psychological Science 25(6), April 2014.
“Note-taking With Computers: Exploring Alternative Strategies for Improved Recall.” Bui, D.C.,
Myerson, J., and Hale, S. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(299-309), 2013.
“How To Take Study Notes: 5 Effective Note Taking Methods.” Oxford Learning. Retrieved
from https://www.oxfordlearning.com/5-effective-note-taking-methods/
“Preparing for Taking Notes.” The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved
from http://tutorials.istudy.psu.edu/notetaking/notetaking2.html
“Listening Note Taking Strategies.” UNSW Sydney. Retrieved from https://student.unsw.edu.au/note-
taking-skills
“Note Taking and In-Class Skills.” Virginia Tech University. Retrieved
from https://www.ucc.vt.edu/academic_support/study_skills_information/note_taking_and_in-
class_skills.html
“Lecture Note Taking.” College of Saint Benedict, Saint John’s University. Retrieved
from https://www.csbsju.edu/academic-advising/study-skills-guide/lecture-note-taking
“Note Taking 101.” Oregon State University. Retrieved
from http://success.oregonstate.edu/learning/note-taking-tips
“Note Taking. Why Should I Take Notes in Class?” Willamette University. Retrieved
from http://willamette.edu/offices/lcenter/resources/study_strategies/notes.html

“Tips & Tools.” Learning Center, learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/.