The Do’s and Don'ts of Note taking
Here are some general "dos and don'ts" to consider when taking notes in all your courses:
Do . . .
Use loose-leaf paper so you can integrate handouts, lecture notes, and text notes in your
course binder.
Write on only one side of the page so that you can use the back of the page for questions,
study notes, messages to yourself
Leave space between topics so you can edit your notes.
Make sure that you can read what you write! If your handwriting is difficult to read, you may
want to print, or use a laptop.
Watch for verbal clues like "First… second…” which denote a series of important points, or
more explicit clues like, "Note that . . ." , or “This will be on the test!”
Non-verbal information, such as the instructor's facial expression or tone of voice, can
indicate that a topic is important.
The more time the instructor spends on a topic the more important!
A general rule of thumb is that if the instructor takes the trouble to write something on the
board, it is important.
Don't . . .
Don't depend on someone else's notes.
Don't cause or put up with distractions. Move or ask those making noise to be quiet.
After the Lecture Ends
Set aside a few minutes within 48hrs to review your notes, rewrite any especially messy parts,
fill in gaps, and put your notes in your binder.
Meet with a friend once a week and discuss your notes. Your friend might be able to help you
fill in some gaps in your notes, and you may likewise be able to help him/her.
If you take notes from the textbook after the lecture, use the back of each page of lecture
notes for corresponding textbook notes. You'll be less likely to spend valuable time taking
textbook notes on a topic already covered in lecture, and you'll have a compact set of
integrated notes ready to review for the midterm or final.
At the end of each week, write a summary of the week's lecture and textbook notes. This
integrated summary can become the basis for your review for midterms and exams.
Combine your lecture and textbook notes in a concept map, a graphical way of organizing and
synthesizing your notes.' See Mind Mapping for more details about this study technique.
Course-Specific Note-taking
Arts & Social Sciences
The content in Arts and Social Sciences lectures often follows a specific plan, which is usually laid
out in the course outline. In addition, many courses provide a list of textbook and online readings
that you should do before each class. Completing these readings will often improve your note-taking
ability as lectures will elaborate on or explain these readings. In the lecture, pay special attention to
information and concepts that aren’t covered in the readings since your lecture notes will be the sole
source of information on these topics.
Many Arts and Social Sciences courses also have a seminar component which is driven by discussion
between the students and TA. Come prepared by reviewing your notes from recent lectures and
other required readings before the seminar. Develop some questions or points that you would like to
discuss. Actively participate by listening and asking questions, as it will benefit your understanding
and recall of the material discussed. If you aren’t satisfied with your note-taking during the seminar,
take some time afterwards to recall the discussion points and add to your notes.
Commerce
In many courses in the Bachelor of Commerce program, you may come across case-based lectures. In
a case, a short "story" is read and then discussed in relation to theories and other course material. It
is critical that you do the assigned questions before class so you can actively participate in
discussion, ask questions, and incorporate new ideas from the lecture into your answers. Since
professors may not write notes on the board or provide them to you online, some students find that
it is easier to add lecture notes to questions they've already answered than to write all of their
lecture notes on a blank sheet of paper.
Problem-Based Courses
In problem-based courses, such as engineering, mathematics, or physics, notes are a combination of
written notes, mathematical problems, and diagrams. Since instructors may refer to notes from
previous lectures, bring your notes from the past week to class so that you can relate current
information to previous notes and problems. Make sure you leave plenty of space for each
mathematical problem because your notes for most problems will include a lot of calculations,
additional diagrams, and references to relevant theories. Make careful notes for all problems solved
in class because these notes are essential to refer to when solving other problems on your own.
Science
Science courses rely on establishing a basic understanding of the material and then building on this
as the semester progresses. If you don't focus on understanding the core concepts of the lecture,
then it can become very confusing to decide what to write down.Trying to capture every word out of
the professor's mouth will probably leave you with a sore hand and, more importantly, may cause you
to miss the point s/he is trying to make. Focus on listening and understanding first, and then make
quick notes as you follow the lecture. Sometimes course notes are given in pdf format, but in
virtually all cases you must elaborate on these notes.