When I previously attempted to take notes during lectures, I would sometimes be too focused on taking down word for word what the lecturer was saying, so I would miss half the lecture. Or my chicken-scratch writing would be illegible when I read back over the notes. Then in communications, we were shown 4 different standard forms of note taking:
1) Cornell Format
2) Outline Format
3) Sentence Format
4) Mind Mapping
I personally found two of these quite useful (Cornell and Mind Mapping), through trial and error. Not all of them will be of benefit, but you can test them out, and adapt them to work for you in your own notetaking.
I’ve begun using the Cornell Format in class. It involves jotting down related key words/memory triggers in a margin alongside your lecture notes. I find this to be a great revision aide, and I can take in more information during lectures using shorthand. I use Mind Mapping when making my own notes from Lectures slides. It’s a great way to link in other related information, and you can use images as memory triggers if they work for you.
When taking notes in class, listen for key expressions the lecturer might use, if they stress something as being very important, or as being “a perfect exam question” etc., make sure to highlight this piece of information. While waiting for a lecture to start, take the time to read back over your previous notes to refresh your memory. I hope some of these tips will be of use to you J
Extremely well thought out and I get the impression that you have been listening in psychology.
ReplyDeleteOn reading this blog I could have made the assumption that I wrote it myself. I love the idea of using images as triggers.
ReplyDeleteIt’s so reassuring to know that I'm not alone in the fact that I also find it really difficult sometimes to keep up with the amount of mind boggling information which we receive during our lectures. I totally understand your reference to chicken-scratch writing as I also find difficulty in comprehending what exactly I’ve been franticly jotting down during classes !:) I really enjoyed reading your blog and I'm definitely going to give the Cornell Format technique a go in class in the future!:)
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