Tip Sheet

Lectures

This academic tip sheet: —— Familiarise yourself with key terms to facilitate
— explains the purpose of university lectures listening and understanding.
and why you should attend them —— Arrive early to collect handouts and find a seat
— provides effective note-taking strategies where you can see and hear clearly.
— provides practical solutions to common problems During the lecture
—— Work out how the lecture content is organised
What’s the purpose (usually provided in the ‘outline’ at the start of the
of lectures? lecture). Use this structure to organise your notes
Lectures create an opportunity to teach a large into sections using headings.
number of students simultaneously. But they don’t —— Pay attention to visual cues. Maintain eye contact
teach you all you need to know about the subject. with the lecturer and look up at the
You’re expected to supplement your learning projector screen/whiteboard regularly.
from lectures through independent study and by —— Use active listening techniques to reinforce your
participating in tutorials, workshops, etc. ability to process the information you’re seeing
Lectures will: and hearing, such as:
— give you insight into what the lecturer • verbal cues (intonation patterns, repetition)
considers important • examples and anecdotes used to illustrate
— alert you to the key concepts, theories and a point
issues in the subject • language signposts (words that show the line of
— provide a catalyst for you to think critically reasoning), e.g. in contrast, similarly, unlike,
about the subject in agreement, an opposing viewpoint, before, in
addition, the first
— expose you to debates and controversies
dealt with in the literature • formulate questions as you think about the
content, e.g. What are the benefits/pitfalls/
Do I need to attend lectures? criticisms? What are other examples?
How does it work?
Most lecturers design their classes to complement
rather than replace the lecture materials they give After the lecture
to students. If you don’t attend lectures, you may —— Scan through your lecture notes.
miss crucial information like:
—— Do the relevant readings (in detail) and
— what the lecturer is expecting in an assignment supplement your notes.
— classroom discussions that help to clarify topics —— Review your notes to consolidate your understanding.
or issues
—— As part of your ongoing revision, prepare an overall
— anecdotes that the lecturer may provide to aid summary of key points (1-2 pages should suffice).
your learning
Note: If you miss the occasional lecture please make Note-taking techniques
an effort to find out what you’ve missed by talking to To make your note-taking more efficient, use the
the lecturer, the tutor and/or a few classmates. following techniques:
—— As a header, write the unit code, topic, lecturer’s
Note-taking in lectures name and date, before you begin taking notes.
Taking notes from lectures and readings helps —— Use wide margins and leave lines between
you maintain concentration. It also reinforces your sections so you can add details later.
understanding and retention of material and provides
—— Use headings and numbering to separate the ideas.
a useful reference for revision purposes.
—— Write in phrases rather than whole sentences.
To improve your note-taking skills, adopt these
—— Use abbreviations and symbols, especially for
strategies before, during and after lectures.
commonly-used terms.
Before the lecture —— Use a combination of your own words and those
— Check the unit outline to establish the topic of the lecturer.
of the lecture. —— Write down key references to refer to later.
— Do the pre-reading to gain an orientation —— Use tables, charts, graphs, figures, etc. to record
to the topic. information concisely.
— Read the lecture plan/outline if this is —— Use a different coloured pen to highlight
available beforehand. important aspects.
Common lecture challenges: Q&A
Q: “I’m not sure what to write” Q: “What if I can’t understand the lecture content?”
A: Pre-reading should assist you in identifying the A: Pre-read before each lecture. Complete the
key concepts and ideas. Listen for these and write required homework tasks. Ask questions when given
down the relevant words and phrases to capture the opportunity. If necessary, approach the lecturer
the explanation. to arrange an individual appointment for assistance.

Q: “I have difficulty listening and writing at the Q: “What should I do with the lecture slides
same time” and handouts?”
A: By training yourself to jot down a few key words A: If the slides and handouts are available
and phrases as you listen, you’ll become more beforehand, download these and use them
efficient at using all of these skills together. when preparing for the lecture.

Q: “How do I make sense of my lecture notes?” You may also decide to use these materials to
organise your notes. Either print the slides as
A: Use the lecture slides to create organisation and
handouts and annotate these as you listen to
hierarchy of ideas, and improve clarity and structure
the lecture, or write on a separate sheet of paper.
in your notes. Review your notes as soon after the
lecture as possible.

Q: “How do I stop daydreaming, not concentrating?”

A: Try sitting at the front or in a spot where there are
few distractions. Pay attention to the verbal cues to
track the progress of the lecture. If you miss part of a
section, this will help you ‘quickly tune in again’. Writing
notes as you listen usually improves concentration.

Lecture checklist
ĮĮ Did you attend the lecture?
ĮĮ Have you completed the pre-reading and other preparation?
ĮĮ Did you collect the lecture slides and handouts?
ĮĮ Were you attentive during the lecture?
ĮĮ Did you take effective notes during the lecture?
ĮĮ Did you follow up the lecture with further study?
ĮĮ If you missed the lecture did you find out what happened?

Want help with your study?

Please contact our Academic Skills Centre to find out how we can assist you.
 [email protected]
The information in this tip sheet was correct at the time of publishing and may be subject to change.
CRICOS IPC 00279B | CS19705 OCT19