1. Write more, not less. You should be writing for most of the reading. Sure, it’s a matter of balance and emphasis: going down enough to capture most of the details, while highlighting the main points so you can see how the talk is structured. But in our experience, it is far more common for students to have underwritten than to have overwritten. Rule of thumb: Fifteen minutes of lecturing should produce one page of notes (or, in other words, three to four pages of notes for a typical hour of lecturing).
2. Use any advance information. If your teacher has given each lesson in the syllabus a title or given study questions before each lesson, be sure to familiarize yourself with them before coming to class. The more you know about what the main points of the conference will be, the easier it will be to take notes. You will know what you are looking for. 3. write the teacher’s ideas, not yours. Some students fill their notes with their own questions, reflections, opinions, and free associations. But the point of taking notes is to get a good interpretation of what the teacher says. That is what will be on the test. Save your own thoughts for later or for your personal journal.
4. Forget complicated “systems” for taking notes. Contrary to what you’re told, there’s no need to use Cornell’s note-taking system, the mind map, or the “Five R’s for Good Note-Taking” (whatever they may be). It is more than enough to simply list the teacher’s points (and perhaps have a subnumber or two). Worrying about systems will only slow you down and can distort the actual shape of the conference. There is always time to come back later and structure your notes.
5. Do not go in and out of the area. You’re used to fast content delivered in twenty-second bursts. But the teacher is used to presenting his ideas in segments of fifteen to twenty minutes. Train yourself to focus and write for longer intervals. Above all, don’t get distracted by other activities that may be going on around you in the conference room, or on your iPhone, iPad, or Game Boy.
6. Pay special attention to the beginning and the end. Often the most important parts of the lesson are the first two minutes and the last two minutes, just as many students are squirming in their seats or packing their bags. Many teachers start their classes by reviewing the key points from the last class and listing the main points that they will cover in this class. And they conclude the class with a summary of the main points they have covered and sometimes an indication of what they will do next time. Be sure to take careful notes during these valuable moments.
7. Look for verbal clues. Teachers often try to highlight the most important points of the lesson with phrases such as “the key point is…”, “it is especially important to note that…”, and “it should be noted that… “Look for these indicators of the cornerstones of the conference. And try to write, word for word, if you can, the material that follows.
8. Focus on structure. Every conference has a plot: a central point with a series of steps that build this point. Stay focused on the plot, and its subplots, and try to capture them in your notes. Continually ask yourself: What is the overall point of the conference? How does each individual point contribute to the overall plot? Why did the teacher choose to make these points instead of others?
9. Beware of PowerPoint presentations. PowerPoints (and the stuff written on the board) are usually pretty sketchy outlines: reminders for teachers what to say. Be sure to note explanations of these schematics in your notes, not just the schematics themselves. When it comes time for the test, you’ll be behind the eight ball if all you have in your notes are these prompts that the teacher uses.
10. Always do it yourself. Don’t outsource note-taking to a friend, professional “class notes” (sold at the campus store), or your note-taking group. Taking notes for yourself is the best way to engage and remember the reading. Not to mention that it will actually get you to go to the conference, which is an achievement in itself.
