Most students use the same method of note-taking throughout their college careers, often taking an ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it’ attitude.  However, that is not always a helpful perspective, because changing and improving one’s note-taking strategy can often yield considerable dividends in terms of better grades.

First and foremost, when taking notes, don’t write EVERYTHING down. This is just as ineffective as highlighting every single passage in a book. Instead, keep the subject of the lecture in your mind. Using an informal outline is often more useful than writing in complete sentences. ‘Bullet point’ relevant passages. Be realistic about how much you can go over in terms of verbiage when studying. Using abbreviations can be helpful, provided that they are meaningful to you.

Do include relevant examples. Examples can help clarify difficult ideas or passages in a text. If the teacher uses a particularly pertinent extended example, write it down: but also remember that it is an example, not the point of the lecture itself. Don’t lose sight of the big picture and be able to separate the forest from the trees.

Write legibly.  Although this may seem like obvious advice, it is easy to forget if you are tired or stressed out. Make sure that you can interpret what you are scrawling down after the fact. Copious note-taking means little if the notes are illegible afterward.

If you find that you are still having serious difficulty with note-taking, with your professor’s permission you may be able to record the class. However, use this approach with caution since listening to the lecture twice will not necessarily clarify the subject matter. Remember, effective note-taking means that the notes are meaningful and useful to you—replicating the entire lecture is not the point; rather,