Taking notes in class:
From my 300 person lecture halls to my 20 person discussion classes, I usually take notes using the same outline method. Some professors don’t allow students to use their laptops or tablets in class (ugh), which can definitely make note taking a little more difficult. But as long as I’m consistently using the same method and medium for each of my classes, I can easily find everything I’m looking for when studying.
Outline Format:
When it comes to formatting, I find the outline format to be the easiest. I start the beginning of my notes with the title or focus of the day’s lecture, and then I can easily organize the lecture based off of important topics and sub-topics.
Ex:
Electronic Notes:
Taking notes with my laptop is my preferred method for many different reasons. Not only is it faster for me to type, I also have access to supplemental materials provided by my professors and online. For example, I can easily find any charts or graphs provided and include them in my notes.
When it comes to my favorite program, I prefer to use Microsoft Word 2011. I’ve tried Apple Pages, Microsoft One Note, and Google Docs, but Word has always worked best for me. It easily facilitates my outline format as bullets are automatically added and adjusted with the use of the ‘tab’ key.
The tabs on the right side of the document allow for me to organize the document with each tab as a different day’s lecture notes. This way, I only have one word document for each unit.
Handwritten Notes:
Honestly, I avoid handwriting notes when I’m in class as often as possible. Like I said, I find typing is faster, allows for more mistakes, and lets me re-arrange information much more quickly and cleanly. That being said, some teachers just will not let you use your computer or tablet in class, and it’s always good to know how to take handwritten notes.
I generally follow the outline format when handwriting in-class notes, just in a more cavalier way. I’m trying to write down as much information as possible, so I tend to add random bubbles of facts in blank spaces, draw arrows to connect information more clearly, use (a lot) of stars next to important points, as well as using a highlighter to emphasize important points.
As you can see, my notes are a little messy and a little all over the place. I still try to follow the outline format with topics and sub-topics, but it can get a little bit tricky.
After I’ve finished taking my notes, I store them in a folder assigned to that class. Once we’ve covered a whole unit (in this case, historical theatre), I staple all in class notes together to study!
If you’re looking for more information on how how to take notes for class, check out these links here! There are so many different ways to take notes in and out of class, this is just the way that works for me. Be sure to check out as many as you want and find the way that works for you.