Taking Notes in Class
This module will discuss a few different note-taking methods and it will give you some quick tips to help you get the most out of your classroom experience. Post-secondary students are expected to be able to capture the important information discussed in lectures. Recording this information will be easier with note-taking techniques.
Top Tips
✓ Stay organized. Organizing your notes will make them easier to use when you need to study/review.
✓ Take your own notes. Don’t rely solely on slides and handouts from your instructor. Take your own notes for more complete information.
✓ Make a buddy. If you miss a class, ask a classmate if you can borrow their notes.
How to take notes using the Cornell Method
Taking good notes can help you when it’s time to review your material. Using note-taking techniques can help you do this.
The Cornell Method is a note-taking technique that can help you take organized and useful notes. Watch the video (The Learning Portal Ontario, 2016) or follow the steps below to learn how to take notes using the Cornell Method.
Cornell Method steps
Set up your page: Divide your page into three sections: a Cue column on the left, a Notes column on the right, and a Summary area at the bottom of the page. You can also use the Word Template or the PDF template.
Start with the Notes Column: Take notes as you normally would in the Notes column.
Fill in your Cue Column: Fill in your Cue column based on the notes you took in step 2. Use questions, key terms, and headings to help you quickly understand what the notes you took relate to.
Fill in your Summary section: Summarize the notes from this page into one or two key learning outcomes.
How to Take Notes Using PowerPoint
Watch this video (The Learning Portal, 2016) to learn how to take notes using PowerPoint Slides. You can use these notes to fill in your Cornell Method template later on.
How to Use Concept Mapping
Watch this video (The Learning Portal Ontario, 2016) to learn how to break down complex topics using concept mapping.
Cornell Method Templates
Concept Mapping Tools
Why you should take notes to improve learning
Watch this video (The Learning Portal Ontario, 2021) to find out how taking notes can help you learn.
Note-taking 101
Watch this video (The Learning Portal Ontario, 2021) for some tips to improve your note-taking ability.
Attribution
Unless otherwise stated, the material in this guide is from the Learning Portal created by College Libraries Ontario. Content has been adapted for the NWP Learning Commons in June 2021. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons BY NC SA 4.0 International License.
All icons on these pages are from The Noun Project. See individual icons for creator attribution.