Top ten ways to listen Dr. Ralph Nichols says at the end of a 10-minute lecture most college freshmen will have retained only half of it. Poor listeners dismiss most lectures as dull and irrelevant. They turn off quickly.
Effective listeners separate the wheat from the chaff.
They choose to listen to discover new knowledge. Concentrate on the words and message, not on the professor's looks, clothes or delivery. Poor listeners notice faults in a lecturer's appearance or delivery. Effective listeners strive to pick every professor's brain for self-gain. When you hear something you're not sure you agree with, react slowly and thoughtfully.