How to figure out what’s important during a lecture
And not waste too much time reading pages of the textbooks
1. Check the syllabus. I cannot stress this enough. In the syllabus you will find the objectives of the course you are taking. These are very important because more often than not, the exam questions are based off these objectives. So, if you know what the objectives are, you will be able to clearly identify these when the professor is examining these in the lecture.
2. Read the summary. Textbooks nowadays have a summary at the end of each chapter. I totally recommend to check this summary as it gives the most important points and it gives you an overview of the chapter. Having this overview, is essential because you will have an idea how everything connects to one another without reading the chapter. In the lecture, professors actually give you a summary of the chapter. So, when you know in advance what points the professor is likely to teach at the lecture, the easier it will be on which of the summary points the professor is focusing more.
3. Ask your professor to give you a nutshell of the lecture. Believe me, it works. Professors are willing to help you and it works well as a quick recap too. This has saved me many times and it’s more time effective, as I don’t try to learn the entire book but instead the most important points and then I fill in the gaps.
4. Write the main points down. For this, I like using the Cornell Method. I write it after the lecture is finished so the points are still fresh in my mind. And if I forget something, I still get the chance to ask the professor. This is important because we are retrieving the information from our brain, which is exactly what you do in an exam. The more concrete the points are, the better. I’ve always been an advocate of taking as little notes as possible in the class because in order to truly understand the material, it is better to actively engage with it and you’ll remember better (at least for me).
Recap: Before going to class, you want to check your syllabus and read the summary in order to get an overview and identify the main points of the subject. When the lecture is done, ask your professor for a quick recap, so you can see what the professor thinks are truly the most important parts. And last but not least, write the points down so you don’t forget.
germansingergirl
jacobvanloon
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