Deductive - starts with a major point and gradually defends that point down to the smallest fact. Chronological - organized according to time, often earliest to most recent. Spatial - uses diagrams, maps, or pictures to guide the direction of the lecture. Logical - follows some sequence of events or steps in an evolutionary manner. Topical - presents several content areas with no apparent connection.
Most instructors have a typical pattern which they follow in their lectures.
If you can recognize this pattern, you will be able to listen and structure your notes more effectively. Both thinking and writing will be more clearly organized. For each class you will need a different notetaking system. Because the combinations of factors about you, the instructor, the classroom conditions and the task vary constantly, your strategies for one class will rarely be exactly the same as for another. Think about what may be presented today.