How to Take GOOD Notes in College, by JuicedItUp on YouTube. 1 min 23 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 23 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes to set up
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Choose one note system before term starts, such as Cornell notes or outline notes, and use it for every class so your pages stay consistent.
Before each lecture, skim the assigned reading and download or print the slides. Write the course name, date and lecture topic at the top of a fresh page.
Draw a wide margin down the left side of the page. Keep the main notes on the right and leave the margin for key words and questions you add later.
Write in short phrases and your own words rather than full sentences. Copying the lecturer word for word fills pages but skips the thinking that makes notes stick.
Note the cues that signal importance: definitions, formulas, worked examples, repeated points and anything the lecturer says will be on the exam.
Use your own shorthand and symbols, such as arrows for causes and plus signs for lists. Keep a key at the front of the notebook so you can read it back later.
If you fall behind, leave a gap and keep listening. Mark the spot with a question mark and fill it from the slides or a classmate afterwards.
Within 24 hours, reread the notes, complete the gaps and write a three sentence summary at the bottom of the page in your own words.
Tips and common mistakes
Sit near the front and put your phone away so you are less likely to drift off during long lectures.
Handwriting suits many students because you cannot write fast enough to transcribe everything, which forces you to summarise.
Ask before recording a lecture, and check your college rules on sharing slides or recordings.
Review your summaries weekly rather than cramming them all the night before the exam.
Questions
Should I type or handwrite my notes?
Either works if you keep the notes short and in your own words. Typing is faster and easier to search, but many students write less and think more when using pen and paper.
What if the lecturer talks too fast to keep up?
Write only the main points and leave gaps for details. Use the slides, textbook or a classmate's notes to fill the gaps the same day, while the lecture is still fresh.
How do I keep notes organised across several courses?
Use a separate notebook or folder for each course and start every lecture on a new page with the date and topic. A simple index at the front makes topics easy to find when revising.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
