Transcript Tips for Note Taking

Tips for Note Taking
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Competent communicators listen with their ears
and their eyes to take classroom notes effectively.
Decide what kind of notes you need to
take. Think about the teacher and the
subject. Do you need only a few key
words on each topic because the
material is also in your history book?
Do you need to write down much of
what the teacher says because you
have no textbook or because the
material is not covered in your book?
Pay special attention to what the teacher
highlights. Look at what the teacher
writes on the board or on the overhead,
since this is a clue to what is important.
Listen carefully to what the teacher
emphasizes or repeats. Example: “So by
this time there were 13 colonies. Not 8,
not 17, but 13.” Also listen carefully to
what the teacher says is important.
Example: “Remember this formula
because you will need to use it again.”
Follow the teacher’s outline format. Try to
get the whole picture before you start to
take notes. Example: “There are six
steps in this experiment” or “We will
review the criteria for becoming a
senator.” Use clues the teacher gives.
Example: “So the second step is the
addition of salt.”
Make your own comments as you write
notes. Tie the points to your own
life or your opinions. Star or circle
ideas you think are important.
Review your notes after class. Correct your
spelling or clean up messy handwriting.
Underline or circles ideas you think are
important. (Colored pencils might help
with this.) Write down any reactions you
have to the material or clues to help you
to remember. Examples: “similar to
Brazil” or “gopher story.” Draw arrows
or lines to connect related points.
Remember the “don’ts.” Don’t try to
write down every word. Don’t try
to write down the stories and
examples, just label them.
Example: “Kentucky Derby horse
story.”
Ask for more information. You may ask
a teacher to write the main points on
the board so that you can be sure you
understand the major ideas of the
lesson. Students may ask teachers to
repeat points that went by quickly or
to repeat the name of a person or
place that was hard to understand.