You
can think about 4 TIMES FASTER than a lecturer can
speak.
Effective
LISTENING requires the expenditure of energy; to
compensate for the rate of presentation, you have to
acively intend to listen.
NOTETAKING
is one way to enhance listening, and using a
systematic approach to the taking and reviewing of
your notes can add immeasurably to your understanding
and remembering the content of lectures.
BEFORE
CLASS
Develop a
mind-set geared toward listening.
Test yourself
over the previous lecture while waiting for the next one to
begin.
Skim relevant
reading assignments to aquaint yourself with main ideas, new
technical terms, etc.
Do what you can
to improve physical and mental alertness(fatigue, hunger; time of
day, where you sit in the classroom may affect
motivation).
Choose notebooks
that will enhance your systematic notetaking: A separate notebook
with full-sized pages is recommended for each course. You might
wish to mark off the pages into one of the formats
shown at the end of this page.
INTEND TO
LISTEN.
DURING
CLASS
Listen for the
structure and information in the lecture.
Resist
distractions, emotional reactions, or boredom.
Be consistent in
your use of form, abbreviation, etc.
Pay attention to
speaker for verbal, postural, and visual clues to what's
important.
Label important
points and organizational clues: main points,
examples.
When possible
translate the lecture into your own words, but, if you can't,
don't let it worry you into inattention!
If you feel you
don't take enough notes, divide your page into 5 sections and try
to fill each part every 10 minutes (or work out your own
formula).
Ask questions if
you don't understand.
Instead of
closing your notebook early and getting ready to leave, listen
carefully to information given toward the end of class; summary
statements may be of particular value in highlighting main points;
there may be possible quiz questions, etc.
AFTER
CLASS
Clear up any
questions raised by the lecture by asking either the teacher or
classmates.
Fill in missing
points or misunderstood terms from text or other
sources.
Edit your notes,
labeling main points, adding recall clues and questions to be
answered. Key points in the notes can be highlighted with
different colors of ink.
Make note of your
ideas and reflections, keeping them separate from those of the
speaker.
PERIODICALLY
Review your
notes: Glance at your recall clues and see how much you can
remember before rereading the notes.
Look for the
emergence of themes, main concepts, methods of presentation over
the course of several lectures.
Page
Formats.
