Good Notetaking

This is the system I’ve used since my sophomore year of high school for notes and its worked consistently, all the way through to my senior year of college. I hope it helps!

• I generally use three different color pens in bright shades. You want your notes to be something you enjoy looking at. One color is for headings and important, must remember facts (pink). One color is for key words and theories (green) and one is for definitions (purple).

• If I’m given a diagram during a lecture, I do my best to copy it down. Then I try to describe whats going on in my own words. Having a mental image of some important process has saved my but on an exam multiple times!

• I also draw little example pictures inline with the text of my notes as additional memory devices.

• If the professor makes the class slides available before the lecture, I’ll print them and write general summaries of the material in my notes ahead of time. That will save you from rushing in lecture and give you more time to ask questions about the things you don’t understand.

Generally, my notes don’t come out as neat as they are here. Most of the time, I end up copying them over so they’re easier to read and study from. Plus you get the added bonus of extra revision!

Good luck and happy studying!