Go to Class

Even though you can get notes elsewhere, without hearing the lecture and participating in the discussion, you will probably not have the prior knowledge or cognitive framework necessary to assimilate the externally provided notes.

Take Many Notes

There is a significant relationship between note completion and achievement. Those not permitted to review notes will recall from 34 to 78% of any information they recorded, but only 5 to 34% of information they did not record.

Take Paraphrases or Summaries

Paraphrases serve a reconstructive function because they help you to construct factual information that was originally not noted. They also help with actually learning the material; when you put what you read or hear in your own words, you tend to assimilate it better than just copying verbatim.

Revise Notes Following the Class

To fill in the omissions or gaps in notes and then personally integrating lecture content. Active integration organizes ideas in memory and facilitates retrieval. Typing summaries and paraphrases of your class notes as soon as you can after the class will help you learn the content in your own way. Do not try to organize and process curing class; wait until you have time to link similar ideas in to a cohesive whole.

Reference

Modified from Kenneth A. Kewra “Acquiring Effective Notetaking Skills: An Alternative to Professional Note Taking.” Journal of Reading, January 1984.