I would like to start off by saying that even though I’ve completed two years of my university education, I still have no idea what to expect when I walk into a new classroom. I always like to tell myself that I’m going to be the perfect student as I sit there with my glasses on in the first row, pen in hand. At this point, I feel enlightened and ready to learn.
However, the professor starts talking and then…
Note-taking has been a real struggle of mine over the years. I’ve tried to develop one or more foolproof systems, but truthfully none have worked. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that all classes and professors are different and your note-taking strategy should be adjusted to the teaching style of the environment.
I’ve had professors refuse computers in their classroom so that everyone had to work with a pen and paper. I’ve also had professors insist on keeping up with the class online through Lecture Tools, which was cool and interactive, but staring at a screen for too long made my eyes hurt. I personally am a pen and paper note taker and have been since day one. I’m a faster writer than I am a typer and like to make drawings with arrows and boxes in my notes. These tactics are a lot easier to do in a notebook. Yes, it looks like I carry a children’s colouring book to class, but it’s the way you learn that’s important, not the way it looks!
Whether you’re a laptop or a notebook person, here are a couple ways to come up with your own efficient note-taking method:
1. Please don’t write down every word the prof is saying…you’ll miss something, ironically enough. After that, it’s a downward spiral of lost information.Â
2. Notes don’t have to look perfect. They’re there for you and your eyes only! You don’t need to write pretty, you need to write effectively! Rewriting is time consuming and inefficient, unless you’re actually condensing what you’ve written to help you review. If you just want to make them a little neater, type them up and leave room for hand-drawn diagrams if you choose to print them out.
3. To keep myself organized, I use a separate smaller notebook for class readings and another for lectures. In this case for studying, I can make a review combining both sets of notes. They are also colour coded, which I 100% recommend if you’re visually oriented like me.Â
4. Some classes already have all the slides on Blackboard Learn, which is #BLESSED. I like to print them out and keep them in a binder, while writing notes from what the prof is saying on the slide during class.
5. Develop abbreviations. Even though my biggest pet peeve is when people text me letters and symbols without spelling the actual word, it’s actually a really helpful technique for taking quick and efficient notes.
6. Keep a highlighter handy! If you aren’t paying attention in class, you could miss the ver elusive “this could be a potential exam question” or “this is the answer to question 5,” which makes studying later on stressful.
7. Last is my most important (and definitely most obvious tip): GO TO CLASS! Studies show that you miss 100% of the classes you don’t attend. It’s the bitter truth.
If you’re a university newbie, getting a head start academically can seem a little daunting. Believe it or not, uOttawa has a service called SASS (Student Academic Success Service) to help other students get in their grooves. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to check them out! Student mentors will be able to guide you through study skills, academic writing, and time management strategies!
Each faculty actually has their own websites, which are linked below:
–Â Arts
–Â Engineering
–Â Health Science
–Â Medicine
–Â Science
–Â Social Science
–Â Telfer
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