● Avoid transcribing notes (writing every word the instructor says) in favor of writing condensed notes in your own words.
● Review your notes on the same day you created them and then on a regular basis, rather of cramming your review into one long study session prior to an exam.
● Test yourself on the content of your notes either by using flashcards or using methodology from Cornell Notes[2]. Testing yourself informs you what you do not yet know from your notes and successful recall of tested information improves your ability to recall that information later (you will be less likely to forget it).
● Carefully consider whether to take notes on pen and paper or with a laptop. There are costs and benefits to either option. For example, note-taking on a laptop may allow you to include more content in your notes, but at the risk of being distracted by unrelated tasks.
● Avoid the misperception that you know lecture content better than you actually do, which can lead to poor study habits. While course topics may appear easy to understand in class, they may be rather difficult as you are reviewing them several
weeks later while preparing for the exam. Be aware that you will forget some of what you have learned and adopt better study habits to address the gaps in your knowledge.
● Avoid transcribing notes (writing every word the instructor says) in favor of writing condensed notes in your own words.
● Review your notes on the same day you created them and then on a regular basis, rather of cramming your review into one long study session prior to an exam.
● Test yourself on the content of your notes either by using flashcards or using methodology from Cornell Notes[2]. Testing yourself informs you what you do not yet know from your notes and successful recall of tested information improves your ability to recall that information later (you will be less likely to forget it).
● Carefully consider whether to take notes on pen and paper or with a laptop. There are costs and benefits to either option. For example, note-taking on a laptop may allow you to include more content in your notes, but at the risk of being distracted by unrelated tasks.
● Avoid the misperception that you know lecture content better than you actually do, which can lead to poor study habits. While course topics may appear easy to understand in class, they may be rather difficult as you are reviewing them several weeks later while preparing for the exam. Be aware that you will forget some of what you have learned and adopt better study habits to address the gaps in your knowledge.
[1]https://hwpi.harvard.edu/hilt/files/hilt/files/notetaking_0....
[2]http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/cornellnotes.html