A System for Effective Listening and Notetaking
Did you know..?
You can think about 4 times faster than a lecturer can speak!?!?
Effective LISTENING requires the expenditure of energy; to compensate
for the rate of the presentation, you have to actively intend to listen.
NOTETAKING is one way to enhance listening, and using a systematic
approach to the taking and reviewing of your notes can add immeasurably
to your understanding and remembering the content of lectures.
Before Class
- Develop a mind-set geared toward listening--prepare yourself to
pay attention.
- Test yourself over the previous lecture while waiting for the
next one to begin.
- Skim relevant reading assignments to acquaint yourself with main
ideas.
- Do what you can to improve physical and mental alertness
(fatigue, hunger, time of day, where you sit in the classroom all
affect motivation).
- Choose notebooks that will enhance your notetaking: a separate
notebook for each course.
- Decide that you will listen.
During Class
- Listen for the structure and information in the lecture.
- Avoid distractions, emotional reaction or boredom.
- Be consistent in your use of form, abbreviation, etc. in
notetaking.
- Pay attention to the speaker for verbal, physical, and visual
clues to what's important.
- Label important points and organizational clues: main points and
examples.
- When possible, translate the lecture into your own words, but if
you can't, don't let it worry you to inattention.
- If you feel you don't take enough notes, divide your page into 5
sections and try to fill each part every 10 minutes (or work out
your own formula).
- Ask questions if you don't understand.
After Class
- Clear up any questions with either the teacher or a classmate.
- Fill in missing points or misunderstood terms from the text or
other sources
- Edit your notes, labeling main points, adding clues and
highlighting.
- Make note of your ideas and reflections in a different color ink
than that of the speaker.
Periodically
- Review your notes: glance at your clues and see how much you can
remember before rereading the notes.
- Make up and answer possible test questions.
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