The Do's and Don'ts of Note-Taking

We live in a world where electronic gadgets are increasingly replacing the classic pen and paper. But before you go "paperless," it may be worth it to pick up that pen and paper. Many studies show that it helps with memory and comprehension. College is already challenging when English is your first language, so why not be the best student you can be even if it means being a little "old-fashioned." Here are some tips to take the best notes ever:

The Dos...

1. Do go to class prepared. That means bring a notebook specifically for that class and different colored pens and highlighters.
2. Do write the date and the title at the beginning of each class.
3. Do write down important words. These include nouns and adjectives,. Find a system to highlight the most important words. This can be by using an underline or a symbol.
4. Do put your phone or other electronic device away if you think it will be a distraction. Part of effective note-taking is effective listening. 
5. Do develop a system that works for you. Some typical examples include:          a) Drawing a column and splitting your notes in half in order to leave room for post note-taking notes such as definitions for words you did not know.

b) Or leave room for lots of blank spaces in order to add more comments.

c) Develop a symbol system, such as @ for at or !!! for important.

More examples of different systems can be found here: http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/notetakingsystems.html

6.    Do practice your listening skills in your free time. This could be listening to podcasts and/or Ted talks. A big problem nowadays is our constant distraction with technology. Note-taking is just as much about listening as it is about writing.

The Don’ts….

1. Don’t write every word down. This is especially true for words such as prepositions or articles. The saying “less is more” can certainly apply to note-taking.
2. Don’t take photos instead of writing notes down. It may be okay to take the occasional photo to refer back to, but it is imperative to take notes. There have been many studies linking how the brain is more likely to remember when writing stuff down by hand versus typing or taking photos. Therefore, note-taking is an important skill to master.
3. Don’t type on your computer or tablet. Again, this goes back to the taking photos, but your brain has a tendency to remember more when we write things down by hand. Plus, electronics can tempt your with distraction. We all know how difficult it is to pass up a Facebook alert.

Works Cited: 

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-learning-secret-don-t-take-notes-with-a-laptop/

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/take-notes-by-hand-for-better-long-term-comprehension.html

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/heres-why-you-should-take-notes-hand-instead-with-laptop.html

Katherine Murrin is the American Language and Culture Institute Coordinator at Long Beach City College. She specializes in social media, marketing, writing about language and culture, international education, and traveling the world. She also really loves Long Beach. She can be reached at kmurrin@lbcc.edu.