May students think that good note taking simply involves writing down everything the professor says. While this may be an effective strategy for some students, many students will find that this method of note taking does not result in much learning. These students are so involved in the note taking process that they do not listen to and process at a deep level what the professor is saying in lecture. Later when they go to study, they have trouble figuirng out what is important and what to study. This short list of tips is meant for those students who would like to improve their note taking and for whom the method of writing everything down does not seem to be working.

1. Write down only the important points. How do you tell they're important? The lecturer repeats them. They are definitions of terms. They are on the board or the overhead. They seem to relate to something you read in your textbook. They seem to sum up a main point. They sound important.
2. Every lecture starts out with me telling you what I'm going to tell you, and then I tell you. Listen when I tell you what I'm going to tell you. No need to take notes here. Write stuff down when I finally tell you. Often times I give you a definition the same way--I suggest what the definition is before I get to it. Then I give you a more concrete definition, and then I expand on it or give you an example. Take notes only on the concrete definition or the meaning. Go back to your book and fill in definitions of terms you did not fully understand in lecture.
3. Don't write complete sentences, even for definitions. You only need to write a little bit to remember what was said. You just need a reminder, not a record. You can always go back after class and review your notes and fill in the blanks.
4. Be legible but not necessarily neat. You can always go back later and neaten things up.
5. Think about the material being presented as you listen to it and take notes. Write questions that occur to you in your notebook. Ask during class or after class or see if you can find the answers in your textbook.
6. I am availalbe in my office and elsewhere most any time to help you out with any questions you have if you happened to miss something in your notes.
7. Use the following resources, The first is especially helpful.
   • Note Taking and In class skills
   • Notes that Save Time
   • Note Taking: The Cornell System
   • Seven Strategies for Improving Test Performance
   • Active Listening
   • Taking Notes in Lectures