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Home » History Teaching and Writing Center » Writing Guides » Taking Lecture Notes

Taking Lecture Notes

 Teaching and Writing Center
 About
 Writing Guides
o Overview
o Getting Started
o Final Checklist for Writing Essays
o Argumentation
o Organization
o Grammar
o Paraphrases and Quotes
o Source Identification
o Taking Exams
o Taking Lecture Notes
o Book Review
 Style and Citation
 Contact Information
Accurate notes will be helpful when you need to review material for an exam or
assignment. In addition to helping you merely remember the contents of a lecture, your
note taking strategy can help you grapple with the material and more fully understand a
historical topic, event, or question. Thus, you should consider note taking as
an interactive process rather than just a secretarial skill.  It is more than simply an aid to
memory.  Note taking and review is part of the process of analyzing the material.
Current research supports these ideas and also shows that final results on exams and
papers can be improved if certain methods for taking notes are employed. This guide will
suggest:

 Methods and practices of taking notes.

 Ways to use your notes in studying for exams and papers.
 Before class:
 Read the text before class. This allows you to develop an overview of the
main ideas, secondary points, and definitions for important concepts.
 Identify familiar and unfamiliar terms. Look up terms before class. Be
prepared to listen for explanations during the lecture. Ask the professor to
explain unclear ideas.
 Note portions of the reading that are unclear. Before class, develop
questions to ask.  (Listen for an explanation during the lecture.)
 During class:
 Sit near the front. There are fewer distractions and it is easier to hear, see
and understand the material.
 Date and number every page, assignment and handout. This will
help when you begin studying for an exam or preparing notes for an essay.
 Do not try to write everything down. Make notes brief. The more time
you devote to writing, the less attention you can give to understanding the main
points and identifying the outline and argument of the lecture. Never use a
sentence when you can use a phrase or a phrase when you can use a word. Use
abbreviations and symbols whenever possible.
 Be aware of the outline of the lecture. Most lectures are based on a
simple outline. Listen for key phrases and words that identify what that
structure is and recognize where you are in the outline at any given time.
 Begin notes for each lecture on a new page. This allows for more
freedom in organization, for instance, so that you can put the notes on a subject
from the lecture with the notes on the same subject from the reading.
 Generally, use your own words, rather than simply quoting the words of
the lecturer. Formulas, definitions, rules and specific facts should be copied
exactly.
 Develop a code system of note-taking to indicate questions, comments,
important points, due dates of assignments, etc. This helps separate extraneous
 material from the body of notes (for instance ‘!’ for important ideas, a ‘?’ for
questions, or [bracket personal comments]). You might even develop your own
symbols for commonly used words or ideas (for instance, ‘∆’ for change, or ‘C’
for century).
 Watch for clues from the instructor. If the instructor writes something on
the board or overhead, it is likely important. If the instructor repeats a point
during the lecture, make sure to note it. Dramatic voice changes and long,
intentional pauses usually indicate emphasis as well.
 After class:
 Review your notes as soon as possible after the lecture. This
dramatically improves retention.
 Merge notes from the lecture and readings. Keep notes from the lecture
with notes from the readings on the same topic. Look for gaps in your
understanding in each and identify where they complement or contradict each
other. Ask your instructor if you still do not understand a point.
 Highlight key words, phrases, or concepts. This helps you reduce the
amount of reading you have to do when studying. Use margins for questions,
comments, notes to yourself on unclear material, etc. Color coding is often
helpful for organizing material.
 Recite by covering over the main body of notes and use only the key words in
the margin to recall everything you can about the lecture. State the facts and
ideas of the lecture as much as you can in your own words.
 Reflect on the content of your notes. Consider especially how these
notes relate to other things you have learned.

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