Duly Noted: Discover the Most Effective Note-Taking Strategies for College

Whether you took notes in high school or not, college is a different academic beast. College students may take classes that build on high school curriculum, but they also engage with lots of new and unfamiliar information. Having an effective note-taking strategy for college is a key to academic success. Keep reading to learn the trick to highly effective note-taking in college.

Why note-taking matters

Some college professors say that note-taking is a lost art form, as fewer students make use of it. Others suggest that it just looks different, and students take notes in more digital spaces to keep up with the speed of class or to have more storage space. Whether on paper, a laptop or a device like an iPad or a reMarkable tablet, there are more ways to take notes than ever before. Understanding why note-taking is crucial will help you keep up with the habit in the way that best serves you.

Engages Focus

Taking notes can help you keep your mind focused on the topic at hand. If you are trying to write down or type out what a professor is saying, it is hard to sneak and text back to a friend or think about what you will eat for lunch. In particular, the act of physically writing down what is being said aloud engages your mind in the conversation or lecture, drawing your thoughts to this single task.

Boosts Memory

Did you know that writing while listening can help you retain material, too? The process will help you remember what you hear better than just sitting and listening. As you write down and organize the information you hear and see, research suggests you are actively enhancing your memory retention.

Inspires Understanding

Note-taking goes beyond helping you regurgitate the information. According to the American Journal of Psychology, actively writing down information helps students process and connect the concepts to one another, strengthening comprehension. As you write, you may notice a connection or have an aha moment that makes you want to ask a new question. You are already taking notes, so jot it down!

Simplifies Review

Whether you are taking notes for a live class, video lecture or a reading, if you succinctly capture the key points in efficient, concise ways, note-taking can keep you from having to reread, relisten or go back over lecture slides. Although these materials are good to review, strong, organized notes can act as a study guide for test preparation. With the right strategy, your notes become more than just an active listening tool; they become your go-to resource.

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How to take good notes

Many students headed to college already know that note-taking is a valuable skill. What they may not understand is how to take notes effectively. With a quick internet search, students will find numerous methods and strategies for note-taking. But the number of resources available to students may create confusion.

Rather than deciding on a perfect method, Luke Vines, the associate director of the Academic Success Center at Berry College, encourages students to start by better understanding the courses they are taking.

“It’s a myth that students should have one method for note-taking,” says Vines. “There are so many variables to consider when deciding how to take notes in a class. It requires some discernment. I encourage students to start by asking what is the purpose of the class? The syllabus is the key tool. It is more than a list of assignments and due dates. Identify what outcomes the syllabus says a student should get from a class. This material will be a great starting point for thinking through how to record material in class.”

For example, a student in a philosophy class will engage with many abstract concepts and theories. Much of the content will be definitions, examples or applied ideas rather than memorization of facts. In contrast, although anatomy courses may require a student to understand on the body’s systems work together, there will be significantly more concrete material and memorizing involved. Understanding the focus will help you figure out the best strategy for note-taking in that class.

If a syllabus feels more like a maze than a helpful document, Vines encourages students to take advantage of office hours: “Students frequently underestimate the value of office hours,” says Vines. “In college, professors aren't just interested in students memorizing information, but also in their ability to interact with that information critically.

He goes on to explain that many students come to the Academic Success Center feeling like they wrote down all the important facts, but they don't know what to do with the information. He encourages students to go to a professor's office hours and say, "This is how I'm taking notes in your class. If I am copying down all the correct information, how do you want me to approach the content you're covering in class or in readings?" By chatting with a professor, it allows them not only to make sure you are taking "good" notes but also helps you understand whether you are using the material in the right way.

Vines further explains that pairing the type of class with a person’s academic learning style is another important step.

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“I encourage all students to try out academic consultations if they are not familiar with their learning style,” says Vines. "Helping students understand themselves as learners and personalize their approach to a class can help them from becoming frustrated.”

If you know what type of learner you are, here are some questions to consider as you begin a new class:

How do you generally engage best with new material? Make a list.
What type of class is it? What subject? How is knowledge presented?
What are the expectations your faculty member/teacher has set for you? How does this inform the format you might use to take notes?
For you, what is the best format for re-engaging with your notes after class? If asked, will you be able to expand on the concepts by rereading your notes?

“Once a student has thought through these questions, then we can talk about methods like Cornell note-taking strategy or outlines or mapping. But not until a student understands themselves as a learner and the expectations of a course can the real work begin.”

In other words, effective note-taking begins when a student understands the purpose of a class and how they will best engage with the material. For example, as a visual learner in a history class, a student may need to draw a timeline while someone else may need to group events or people by theme. It might take some trial and error to find what works best for you, and that's okay.

Faith Gooding, a history tutor in Berry’s Academic Success Center even suggests, “When it comes to note-taking during a lecture, my strategy is to write down what I understand, not necessarily what the professor says verbatim. Paraphrasing, making it into a story or adding in my own little jokes helps me remember the content a lot easier than trying to transcribe every single word.”

Vines also describes ways to consider what your notes communicate. He suggests reading them to a friend who is not in the class or using an online language translator to translate the notes into a different language and then back to English to see what’s communicated. By approaching the material in fresh ways, you can get more from it. Try putting the concepts in your own words rather than simply rereading facts that you jotted down in class.

With the right strategies, you will identify the best process for your learning, and you will be better equipped to tackle the academic challenges of college.