Specific Areas Study Strategy Chapter Study Survey Return to Study Tips Home Page Return to Tutoring Home Page Return to LCC Home Page Please address comments to LCC Tutoring Services How to Take Effective Lecture Notes 1. Taking notes aids concentration and keeps your attention on the lecture. Taking notes forces you to organize. A written record is necessary to supplement our unreliable memories. Taking notes keeps you thinking with the speaker.
Research shows that students who have notes to review from do better on exams.
Taking notes increases understanding. Review the notes from the previous lecture alone or with a friend. Read or survey printed reading material that may clarify the upcoming lecture. Look at the course outline to see where you've been, where you're going, and how it all fits together. Meet with the instructor to clarify anything from the last lecture.