Study Skills - Note Taking

 
When Professors Talk Fast...

A fast-talking professor is one problem students frequently encounter. While this does make taking all of the information in more difficult, it is not impossible. There are a few things you can do to make getting all of the important information a little easier.

• Do more critical preparation before coming to class. Read the assigned material, review previous class notes, try to get a basic understanding of the material before going to class. This will make the lecture easier to follow and more interesting!
   

• Share notes with a classmate or form a study group. Often different people will record different ideas from the lecture. Putting multiple peoples’ notes together can provide a more complete picture.
   

• Leave space in your notes so you can go back and add information later.
   

• Develop a "lost signal" for your notes. If you get lost during the lecture, put a blank space and a little symbol (such as ?, T , L ) in your notes. This way you can move on to the next information and figure out what you missed after class.
   

• If you are lost or confused about specific information, talk with your professor after class, during their office hours, or make an appointment.
   

• Use a tape recorder (ask your professor first). This works very well for fast-talking professors because you can listen at your own pace later. The downside: you have to listen to the lecture twice.
   

• Use abbreviations! Try standard symbols or graphics such as > for greater than, Þ for implies, \ for therefore, or make up some of your own!  WARNING: be consistent with your abbreviations. Also, go back and clarify your notes as soon as possible to eliminate confusion later.

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