Before
Class Preparation
How: Do the reading on the topic of the lecture before class.
Why: You can get more out of the lecture if you are already familiar
with the topic. How: Review lecture notes from last class.
Why: Provides continuity for the lecture you are about to hear.
How: Attend all classes and always take notes.
Why: Notes from friends may not be as meaningful as taking your own.
Also, you may miss points the instructor has emphasized and would not
have as good an idea of what the instructor considers important. - How: Sit in the front of the lecture room, close to the speaker.
Why: This reduces the distractions created by others in the room and
helps you be more attentive and able to concentrate on what is being
said.
During
the lecture
Listen for the main topic, the key points, and the organization of
ideas.
Record lecture notes that highlight the main ideas
and that will be clear to you when you review them at a later time.
How: Record your notes legibly as complete ideas in outline, sentence or
paragraph form using some type of organization highlighting main ideas.
Why: Legibility and completeness of ideas is necessary to be able to
read and understand your notes at a later time. Organized material such
as main ideas followed by supporting points is much easier to study and
remember than a mass of information running together without
organization. How: Try taking notes on one side of a sheet only.
Why: That way, later in the course you can spread out the pages with
only the left summarized columns showing and have a grand overview of
the ideas/arguments introduced throughout the course.
Store and organize your notes
- How: A large looseleaf binder is best. Each sheet is divided vertically
2 ½ inches from the left edge; notes are recorded to the right of the
line.
Why: The large binder gives ample room for notes and allows for easy
organization (e.g., insert handouts, etc.). The wide left margin is for
later summarizing the main ideas and points in the lecture.
After The Lecture (the same day)
Clean your notes.
- How: Read through your notes, clarify scribbles, fill in missing
information, and emerge with a complete view of the lecture. Then go
back and underline or box in words, not whole sentences, that represent
main ideas.
Why: Tomorrow you won’t be able to decipher scribbles as well.
Underlining as you read leads to underlining too much. Being more
selective results in less material to review later.
Once A Week
Review all of the
notes
you have taken since the beginning of the quarter.
- How: Recite from all your notes, just as described in the previous
step. Cover material on the right and recite from words to the left.
Schedule 30 to 60 minutes a week per subject for this review.
Why: Frequent recitations over a period of time are much more effective
than one long review just before one exam. With weekly recitation,
studies how that you can retain 80% of the material. With no review, you
may retain only about 20%.
Get the Grand View of the Material
- How: Think about what you have learned. Develop a brief, one page
outline of the main ideas (i.e., 6-8 major points). Reflect on how the
pieces of the subject fit together.
Why: Often on exams, in essay questions and even in objective questions,
you are asked not whether you remember a date or a formula, but whether
you understand how major ideas or events relate to each other. Don’t
learn only details, but understand main ideas.
Free, confidential help is available by
stopping by the Counseling Center , Room 206, Health Services Building
or by calling 610-519-4050. See the following Web Sites for more information:
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