What's the best way to take notes in class?

comfortablycurt
Sun, 21 Jul 2013 20:25:07 +0000

I’ve actually read a number of studies that have demonstrated that you absorb material much more efficiently when you actually WRITE it down, versus taking notes on a computer. The act of writing “cements” it in more completely.

Personally, I’ve always stuck with the paper and pen/pencil method for note taking. I would find it too distracting to take notes with a computer. Most of my classes are math and science classes though, and it is quite a bit harder to take math and science notes on a computer, because you can’t jot down formulas and sketch figures as easily as you can on paper.

Realistically though, I don’t find myself taking that many notes in most classes. I find that I absorb the material much more completely when I read the chapter or section the night before, and then focus completely on the lecture the next day, without really taking down many notes. I’ll jot down the crucial things, but I’m not that person trying to write down every single thing that goes on the board/powerpoint.