Hey everyone!! Now that the school year has begun for most people, it is time to get down to business. Are you all ready? This week, I am focusing on note-taking in classes. Use the following tips, and get ready to take some notes.
- Don't write down everything. When you are being lectured on the Civil War in History class, it is going to be impossible to write down every single word that the teacher says and still keep up with the class. It simply cannot be done! When taking good notes, use only the words needed to understand the topic.
For Example: Instead of "The Civil war was a war fought between two sections of the U.S., the industrialists in the north and the farmers in the south," write this, "Civil War: war between North, South."
- Don't write down too little. Remember that you are supposed to actually LOOK at your notes eventually. You have to remember what they actually say. It's going to be hard to read your notes when they only have two words on them. Write just enough that you understand what you just wrote later on.
For Example: Instead of, "South Carolina, first Union," write, "South Carolina, first to secede from Union."
- Abbreviate. Feel free to shorten words, use symbols, or even draw little pictures. Just don't use too many abbreviations, or you will be unable to comprehend what you just wrote when you need them to study.
For Example: Instead of "Fort Sumter triggered South Carolina secession," write, "Ft. Sumter triggered SC secess."
- Write what is on the board. This should be obvious, but, if you see writing on the board, it is not there for decoration. ALWAYS write down EVERYTHING that is on the board. Believe me, it is going to come in handy when test time comes.
- Re-write right away. Chances are, your notes look sloppy, and hard to read. As soon as you have time, rewrite important notes, because you will have trouble reading your notes later on before a test. The sooner it's done, the easier it will be to rewrite, because the lesson is still in your head.
- Put a date on your notes. It will seem pointless now, but when your teacher says that he is covering everything done in September in January, it is a good thing to have those little dates on there.
- Take notes from a friend. If you are gone one day, ALWAYS get the notes from a friend that you know takes good notes. The same thing goes if you fell asleep in Science class.
- Compare notes. This is very much like the tip above this. If you want better notes, the best thing to do is to find a friend who takes good notes, and compare. If you need to change your notes, then change them. This way, your notes are as good as they are going to get!
That is all for today! Use these tips, and you're going to be getting A's on your tests in no time. After you've written your notes, it's time to STUDY! Tune in next week for more awesome tips on everything school-related. Until then, class dismissed!
See you next time!
Faerie241
