Taking effective lecture notes requires skills like paying attention, determining what is important, and reviewing notes after class. It is important to listen for clues from the instructor about emphasized materials, then write down major ideas and examples in a consistent and organized way. Notes should be reviewed within 24 hours to remember 80% of the information, and organized with symbols, abbreviations, and your own words.

1. Making the Most of Your Lecture Notes

2. Taking notes forces you to pay attention while testing your understanding of the material. When you review, notes provide a gauge to you on what is important. Personal notes are usually easier to understand than the text. Writing down important points helps you remember even before you study the material formally.

3. Apply the 3 D’s to Listening Determine the important things the speaker is saying. Decide to listen. Listening is the responsibility of the learner. Develop good listening skills for your college and future success.

4. Anticipating the next point a speaker will make in developing a subject Identifying supporting material and evidence for major points that a speaker makes Recapitulating –make a mental summary when the speaker pauses

5. Finish reading assignments given for that class Review notes from previous class to refresh your memory Arrive before the lecture begins Choose a good seat where you can easily see and hear the professor Avoid sitting near distracting people

6. Watch for clues from the instructor emphasizing certain material (e. g. change in voice inflection, animated movements, writing on board) Listen, think, then write. Listen for what is being said, not how it's being said. Take notes using a consistent, organized system that you developed

7. Participate in class and ask questions Write down major ideas, details, and examples Skip lines in order to add material during a review or to show where a new idea begins

8. Material written on the blackboard Information that is repeated Word signals - “There are two points of view on…” - “There are two reasons why…” Information that is emphasized -Instructor changes their tone of voice -Instructor uses gestures -Instructor spends a longer amount of time on a topic -Instructor uses examples of the material

9. Spend at least 30 minutes reviewing/editing notes within 24 hours *We lose 80% of what we hear within a few hours if we don’t review Use text to fill in missed words, clarify notes, and add examples Identify any questions for the next class that need clarification by the professor

10. Organize notes with symbols or color codes to identify definitions, test questions, etc. Compare your notes with a friend to check for completeness and accuracy Conduct short weekly reviews

11. Make your notes brief. Never use a sentence when you could use a phrase. Never use a phrase where you can use a word. Use abbreviations and symbols, but be consistent. Put most notes in your own words. However, the following should be noted exactly: Formulas Definitions Specific facts

12. -One or two sentences long. -Should summarize key points of the lecture. -Should be written in your own words. -Serves as a simple guide for reviewing notes for a test. Picture from: http://www.theproductologist.com/index.php/2008/03/03/cornell-note-taking-method/ *Be sure to put the date and class name in the upper right hand corner -Notes -Definitions -Questions -Key Points -Vocabulary Words -Key Terms -Concepts -Headings

13. Stanford Calhoun High School Source:

14. If you miss a statement, write key words, skip a few spaces, and get the information later. Use outline and/or a numbering system. Indention helps you distinguish major from minor points. Date your notes. Perhaps number the pages. Use a standard sized notebook and paper (8 ½ x 11). Don’t try to use every space on a page. Leave room for coordinating your notes with the text after the lecture. (You may want to list key terms in the margin or make a summary of the contents of the page.)

15. Contact the Learning Center First Floor of the Library 717-477-1420 AIM participations will receive credit for viewing this Power Point presentation by answering the questions below and emailing your replies to [email_address] . 1. Was this presentation useful? 2. Which part of the presentation did you find most useful? 3. Which part of the presentation was the least useful? 4. What are you going to do now based on what you have learned from this presentation?