Study Skills - Note Taking

 
Being An Active Learner

Four Steps Towards Being an Active Learner:

Step One: Be prepared and on time.

• Preview chapters and prepare questions
• Have a positive attitude
• Have all materials with you

Step Two: Take organized notes.

• Explore different styles of notes
• listening for main ideas
• When professors talk fast

Step Three: Review and edit/clarify notes.

• Do this in the first 24 hours after class. It is possible to forget up to 80% of the material you learn within 24 hours of learning it. This can be avoided with as little as 15 minutes of review. You should also do a weekly review of the material you learn. Spend about 25-30 minutes per class, per week (often it is best to do this at the end of the week to prepare for the new information you will be learning the next week).
   

Step Four: Prepare for the next lecture.

• Have all assignments completed (including reading). This will make the lecture more interesting. It will also make it easier to listen for main points since you will have an idea what the information is about already.

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