6 Criteria for What to Write Down in Your Class Notes
In order to study well, you have to start out with good study materials. This means having not only your textbook on hand but also decent lecture notes with you as well.
Initially, note-taking might seem like a straightforward task: just write down everything that your professor says during class. However, if you try to do that, you’ll probably end up getting behind and your notes won’t be of much use to you when it comes time to cram. Having concise notes that include just the information you need to know will save you a lot of time when you start studying for exams.
The first step to taking good notes is, therefore, knowing what to write down. It can be difficult to sift through all of the information thrown at you during class to settle on what you really need to know, but in general, it’s a good idea to base your notes on these six criteria.
1. An overview of the lecture
Professors will often begin a lecture by speaking in general terms about what they are going to cover that day in class. It’s a good idea to jot down the key points that your professor mentions at the beginning, as this will help you later on when you’re studying.
If you have a brief overview at the beginning of a page of notes, you can easily flip through them until you find the page with the information that you need. This is a great way to keep your notes organized.
2. Key terms and definitions
Take note of any key terms that your professor brings up throughout class, and try to write down their definitions as you go. Leave some space under each term so that you can go back and add a relevant definition or information later on in class if your professor returns to the topic. It’ll help if you do some reading beforehand so you know what terms you can expect to pop up throughout your lecture.
If you’ve noticed that a word keeps coming up, take note of that and highlight it somehow, as it’s probably a significant one. When you look back on your notes later on, you’ll be able to get an idea of what your professor expects you to know just from the key terms that you have jotted down. Plus, you’ll already have their definitions written down for when you start studying.
3. Relationships
A good way to remember information when you’re studying is by analyzing the way that concepts or ideas relate to each other. You can save yourself some time later on by writing down these relationships as you hear them during class. While your professor might not necessarily describe these connections for you, jot them down as you understand them, and then go back after class to see if they held up throughout the rest of your lecture. Of course, if your professor does specifically mention the connection between two or more ideas, be sure to write that down as well.
4. Concepts you don’t understand
When you’re taking notes, it is especially important to write down any concepts that you don’t understand. While it’s easy to let your professor’s words go over your head when you don’t quite get what they’re saying, this is actually an occasion when it becomes particularly essential to copy everything down. That way, you can go back and revisit the information later on, perhaps with your textbook on hand to gain a better understanding of it. You’ll also be able to show your notes to your professor after class if you need some extra help, and they’ll know exactly what you’re asking about.
5. Anything your professor mentions multiple times
It can be difficult sometimes to determine what your professor expects you to know when it comes to your exams, and therefore it becomes tempting to just write down everything they say. However, rather than being thorough, this might just end up causing you to miss important information in your rush to keep up.
Instead, write down the information that your professor has hinted will come up again and again. A good indication of this is if your professor mentions something multiple times. If it’s brought up repeatedly, it’s probably a central idea that will find its way onto your midterm or final in one way or another. Make sure you write down anything that you hear come up two or more times; generally, repetition is a good clue that something is important.
6. Anything your professor emphasizes
Professors will often offer some indication that certain information is important, whether consciously or subconsciously. If they slow down speaking when they’re explaining a certain concept, that might be because it’s something they want to ensure that you understand and remember. Any time your professor changes their speed of speaking or the volume of their voice, take careful notes on what they’re talking about.
If your professor pauses before explaining something, that’s also probably important information that you should make sure to write down. Finally, if your professor writes a key term or concept on the board, that’s definitely something that you’ll want to copy in your notes.
Follow Uloop
Apply to Write for Uloop News
Join the Uloop News TeamDiscuss This Article
More Uloop Campus Life Articles
- Is Group Studying More Effective?
- What You Need to Know About Moving Mid-Semester
- Dos and Don'ts for the Night Before Midterms
- How To Decorate Your Apartment Walls
UT ARLINGTON HOUSING LISTINGS
See all UT ARLINGTON Housing ListingsUT ARLINGTON Housing Listings
WRITE FOR ULOOP
Apply to Write for Uloop NewsGET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
TOP COLLEGE NEWS
TOP UT ARLINGTON Campus Life Q&A
BROWSE OTHER COLLEGES
- By CollegeBaylor UniversityUniversity of HoustonUniversity of North TexasRice UniversitySouthern Methodist UniversityTexas State University-San MarcosTexas A&MUniversity of Texas at ArlingtonUniversity of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at San AntonioTexas Tech UniversityUniversity of Texas-Pan AmericanSam Houston State UniversityUniversity of Texas at El PasoUniversity of Houston (downtown)Lamar UniversityUniversity of Texas at BrownsvilleUniversity of St ThomasStephen F Austin State UniversityUniversity of Texas at DallasTexas Southern UniversityTexas Woman's UniversityCollin CollegeTrinity UniversityTexas Christian UniversityPaul Quinn CollegeSouthwestern UniversityNorth Harris Montgomery Community CollegeMcLennan Community CollegeAmarillo CollegeWest Texas A&M UniversityAbilene Christian UniversityAmberton UniversityAngelo State UniversityAustin CollegeBaylor College of MedicineBrazosport CollegeCollege of Biblical StudiesConcordia University TexasDallas Baptist UniversityDallas Theological SeminaryEast Texas Baptist UniversityHardin-Simmons UniversityHouston Baptist UniversityHoward Payne UniversityLeTourneau UniversityMcMurry UniversityMidland CollegeMidwestern State UniversityOur Lady of the Lake UniversityParker College of ChiropracticPrairie View A & M UniversitySt. Edward's UniversitySouth Texas CollegeSouth Texas College of LawSouthwestern Assemblies of God UniversitySouthwestern Baptist Theological SeminarySt. Mary's UniversitySul Ross State UniversityTarleton State UniversityTexas A & M International UniversityTexas A & M University at GalvestonTexas A & M Health Science CenterTexas A & M University-Corpus ChristiTexas A & M University-KingsvilleTexas A & M University-TexarkanaTexas Lutheran UniversityTexas Tech University Health Sciences CenterTexas Wesleyan UniversityThe Art Institute of HoustonThe University of Texas at TylerThe University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonThe University of Texas Health Science Center at San AntonioThe University of Texas Medical BranchThe University of Texas of the Permian BasinUniversity of DallasUniversity of Houston-Clear LakeUniversity of Houston-VictoriaUniversity of Mary Hardin-BaylorUniversity of North Texas Health Science CenterUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at DallasUniversity of the Incarnate WordWayland Baptist UniversityAlamo Community CollegesBlinn CollegeOblate School of TheologyAmerican College of Acupuncture & Oriental MedicineOdessa CollegeGrayson County CollegeTarrant County CollegeSan Jacinto CollegeAustin Community CollegeAlamo Community College DistrictAustin Community College DistrictBrookhaven College Cedar Valley College Cisco CollegeClarendon College Coastal Bend College Collin County Community College DistrictDallas County Community College DistrictEastfield College El Centro College El Paso Community College DistrictGalveston College Hill College Houston Community College SystemHouston Community College System- Central CollegeHouston Community College System-NortheastHouston Community College System-Northwest CollegeHoward College Kilgore College Lamar Institute of Technology Lamar State College-Orange Laredo Community College Lone Star College- Cy FairLone Star College- MontgomeryLone Star College- North HarrisLone Star College- TomballMountain View College Navarro College North Central Texas College North Lake College Northeast Texas Community CollegeNorthwest Vista College Palo Alto College Panola College Paris Junior College Ranger College Richland College San Antonio College San Jacinto College District St Philip's College Tarrant County College- NortheastTemple College Texarkana College Texas Southmost CollegeTexas State Technical College- HarlingenTexas State Technical College- MarshallTexas State Technical College- WacoTexas State Technical Colleges Texas State Technical College-West TexasTyler Junior College Vernon College Victoria College Wharton County Junior College Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts-Austin
- By State
- By City