Effective note-taking is underrated. It can help you focus, improve active listening skills, and ensure a better understanding of course material. Taking notes helps with information retention too, and some say note-taking has helped them in a pinch while completing exams. Here are a few tips you can use to become good at note-taking:
I know this sounds old-fashioned, but handwritten notes are easier to read. Also, you won’t end up writing everything if you take notes by hand. If you overload on content, you won’t be able to retain much, and in short all your efforts may be in vain. Taking handwritten notes is easy too; you just need a pen and paper to get started. Taking notes on a laptop, on the other hand, will have you clicking back and forth while typing, and this isn’t ideal.
If you’re good at deciphering visuals, you should draw pictures and diagrams, especially when you’re dealing with topics that are difficult to explain. Label things and provide mini descriptions so you know what you’re looking at. If you’ve made a graph, make sure it’s detailed, accurate, and legible. You can grasp visuals quickly if you understand them easily. Mind-mapping is another visual note-taking method that’s very effective. Mind-maps connect different ideas, and you can learn and reinforce information just by creating one.
Note-taking involves mastering the 5 Rs: recording, reducing, reciting, reflecting, and reviewing.
· Recording – This is when you take notes during a lecture.
· Reducing – Synthesize information and only keep what’s useful.
· Reciting – You must be able to state processed information in your own words.
· Reflect – See how the notes affect your thinking; personal context helps with memorization.
· Review – Take a few minutes before an exam to review notes and refresh your mind.
With the Cornell Method, you can organize notes into small easy-to-read summaries. This is a useful method because it puts main points, ideas, concepts, and summaries all in one place. The paper is divided into three sections: a 2.5” margin on the left, a 2” section for summarizing on the bottom, and a 6” section. The 6” section is used to take notes in class; the margin is used to write down review notes and other important administrative cues; the summary is where you include summarized notes.
But if you’re too busy to take notes and/or complete other academic assignments, you should visit our website to hire class help online. Our online class takers can complete your homework and tests on time, and they’ll ensure you get good grades. Call us and ask: “Can you take my class for me?”
