How to take good lecture notes
How to take lecture notes you can learn from: what to write down, a simple layout, and what to do after the lecture.
Good notes are not a copy of everything the lecturer says. They capture the main ideas in a way you can revise from later.
During the lecture
- Write the date, course code and topic at the top.
- Write down definitions, formulas, examples and anything the lecturer repeats or stresses. These often come up in exams.
- Use short phrases, not full sentences, and your own abbreviations.
- Copy diagrams roughly and label them. You can redraw them neatly later.
- Mark anything you did not understand with a question mark, so you can ask or look it up.
A simple layout
Divide the page: a narrow column on the left for key words and questions, a wide column on the right for your notes, and a few lines at the bottom for a short summary. Later, cover the right side and use the key words to test yourself.
After the lecture
- Read over your notes the same day and fill in any gaps from the handout or textbook.
- Write a summary of the lecture in three or four lines.
- Turn the main points into a few questions to test yourself before the next class.