Orientation

Guidelines for Taking Notes

• Concentrate on the lecture or on the reading material.
• Take notes consistently.
• Take notes selectively.   Do NOT try to write down every word. Remember that the average lecturer speaks approximately 125-140 words per minute, and the average note-taker writes at a rate of about 25 words per minute.
• Translate ideas into your own words.
• Organize notes into some sort of logical form.
• Be brief. Write down only the major points and important information.
• Write legibly. Notes are useless if you cannot read them later!
• Don't be concerned with spelling and grammar.

There are many reasons for taking lecture notes.

• Making yourself take notes forces you to listen carefully and test your understanding of the material.
• When you are reviewing, notes provide a gauge to what is important in the text.
• Personal notes are usually easier to remember than the text.
• The writing down of important points helps you to remember then even before you have studied the material formally.