Tips for better note taking

Lectures can be overwhelming and stressful and often feel like theres a lot of information and not a lot of time to write it all down. 

We’ve all been there. Sitting in a lecture, staring at the lecturer, and suddenly realising you’ve written nothing on your page. Maybe you’ve been distracted by your phone, or perhaps you’ve zoned out when your lecturer starts diving deep into a concept. Sound familiar? It’s okay! We’ve all been through it.

But don’t worry, there’s hope! In this blog we will be discussion how your note taking can be effective and make it worth your time. 

1. Don’t write everything down

- It can be impossible to write down every single word and very overwhelming. Use bullet points and focus on the key points. 

- Use abbreviations where you can to make note-taking quicker.

- It is also important to engage in the lectures to take in the content as this can help you remember better. So not noting down everything is important to engage in the content.

2. Use the transcription or microphone feature on word

- This will help you stay engaged in the lecture whilst also having key notes in your phone.

- There is often a small microphone in the corner of word or many other apps such as dictate which also allow you to do this. This way you can fully engage in the lecture and go back over everything within your own time. 

3. Mind Maps

If traditional bullet points just aren't your thing, try mind mapping. This method lets you draw connections between ideas and gives you a visual representation of how everything ties together. It’s especially useful for subjects that have a lot of interrelated concepts.

4. Colour coding

Treat yourself to some coloured pens and use this to either underline key sections of your notes or to write in coloured pens.

Assign different colours to different sections and this can also help with your memory if you have exams coming up.

5. Go back over your notes!

Taking notes is one thing, but reviewing them is key. Spend 10-15 minutes after each lecture going through your notes. Add clarifications, fill in gaps, and make sure everything makes sense. It’ll make a world of difference when exam time rolls around. Or if your doing coursework it’ll make it easier to remember key points.