Depending on the subject and the level of the textbook, writing 1-2 sentences of summary per paragraph may be the right ratio of information to note-taking.
Developing a system that works for you is extremely important. Do your best to become self aware and to figure out what system works best for your learning style.
If in doubt about how to organize your notes, go with the textbook’s organization. If information is written in a certain order in the textbook, and there is usually a reason for it. It’s also a good idea to separate your notes in different folders for each class, so they don’t get mixed up and you don’t confuse subjects.
Also look for any words that are presented in bold. These are often key concepts or vocabulary words that are defined within the chapter or in the glossary. If there are not headings or subheadings in your textbook, read the first sentence of each paragraph.
To read actively, do not try to take notes or highlight anything the first time you read through a section of text; instead, just focus on reading to understand.
When you get to the note-taking stage, write down new key words that are important to the chapter along with the page number where you found that term and definition. That way you can refer back to the textbook easily if you need to.
These types of supplements may be of particular benefit to students who tend to be visual learners. When trying to recall information, you may be able to conjure the way a graph or chart looked more easily than a piece of factual information.
Write down whatever your instructor writes on the board. These pieces of information are most likely to be relevant for future discussions and upcoming assignments or tests. Ask your instructor if he or she would allow you to use a personal recording device to record the lecture and listen to it at home. Anything that you missed while taking notes in class will be heard on the recording, and you can add that information to your notes after class.
Write down major names, places, dates, events, and concepts. If you cover these topics in your notes, it will likely be much easier to remember the specifics surrounding those people or places when you go back to the textbook. Follow major topics with brief context clues. These can be a few words or even a short sentence, but having some type of brief notes will help you make sense of the names or dates you’ve written down during the lecture.
Try to read over your notes shortly after class has ended. Reviewing your notes immediately after class is over will most likely help you retain that information for a longer period of time.
