How to Prepare to Take Notes Before Class
Taking notes isn’t the most fun task to perform in the world but it is certainly one of the most important things to do while you’re a student in college.
Some students think that taking notes is a waste of time and it’s better to just listen to the professor. In some cases, this may be true, but your goal is to take what you’re learning with you into the real world. Memories can fade but if you get what your professor was saying down on paper, you’ll be able to take his or her words back home with you, where you will be able to further analyze them and start writing out your own conclusions.
Practicing good note-taking skills in class will help you to better understand the subject you’re learning. This will help you do better in class overall, which every student wants to do, right? Good note-taking = a spectacular grade!
So how can you prepare to take great notes before class starts? If you’re thinking there’s nothing you can do to better prepare yourself for taking notes, you’d be wrong. There are many ways to prepare to take notes before class. These eight ideas may seem obvious to you but it’s my goal to address nearly every possible way a student can prepare themselves to take notes.
Without further ado, here are eight ways you can prepare to take notes before class.
Understanding the Subject
1. Understand your professor’s style
Before you head to your next class, take some time to think about how your professor delivers their lectures. Do they read from a PowerPoint they created? Do they provide copies of the PowerPoint through your course website? Do they ask open-ended questions and allow for student participation? Do they talk through the entire class time?
Understanding how your professor teaches will help you to better prepare to take notes for their class.
2. Make sure you’re up to speed
Find your class’s syllabus and read through it until you find what section of the semester your class has reached. If you’re supposed to have completed all assignments up until today’s date, make sure that you have it done so you won’t feel lost when your class meets again. If you’re confused about any past notes or topics your professor touched on, be sure to mention this to him or her before class.
3. Study up on any assigned readings
Just because your homework assignment from your last time was “read pages 110-130,” it doesn’t mean there was no homework. Reading through any and all assigned scholarly articles, textbook passages, and other written works is just as important as the homework that you have to physically turn in.
Keeping up with assigned readings will help you to stay on the same page as your professor. Most times, the reading you’re assigned will be discussed during your next class, so it’s crucial not to slack.
Packing Your Bag
4. Bring your writing tools
If you’re like me and still prefer the old way of taking notes with a pen and paper, congratulations! You are one of the few that don’t have to worry about losing data on your laptop, forgetting to charge your laptop before class, or one of the other technological mishaps that can happen when you use a laptop. On the downside, you do have to pack more things than if you were just going to use your laptop.
Make sure all of your pens and pencils are in working condition (sharpened, filled with ink) and that you have plenty of spare paper in your notebook so you can take as many notes down as possible. I like to bring a highlighter with me to class to highlight any important terms or topics that my professors address so it will be easy to spot them when it becomes time to study over them again.
5. Bring your techy tools
Like using your laptop to take notes? Make sure that it charges the night before and that you take your charger with you just in case it acts funny and your battery drains faster than you expected. Likewise, charge your phone so you’ll be able to take pictures of any notes your professor leaves on the whiteboard.
6. Bring your glasses or wear your contacts
If you have trouble seeing the board in class, you probably wear contacts or glasses. Make sure you pop them on/in before your next class. Glasses can be an easy thing to forget especially if you don’t wear them regularly.
Right Before Class Starts
7. Have questions prepared and in front of you
As you’re looking over your previous notes from your last class, do you find anything that you can’t get a grasp on? If so, jot down a clear and concise question about it and have it ready to ask in class.
8. Be willing to participate
Don’t be shy when it comes to asking questions in class. You’re there to learn. Plus, a question you ask or an idea you throw out there holds the potential to introduce the class to another viewpoint and open up new discussions.
How do you prepare for class? Share with others in the comment section below!