Taking Effective Notes Take notes that are best suited to the kind of exam you will take in the course. Knowing the kind of tests and exams you will be taking in the course is important because this information will help you determine the level of detail you will need in your notes and the type of note form you should use. Knowing the type of exam you will need to prepare for helps you use your study time wisely and effectively.
Objective exams require a high level of recall of specific information .
You must know the definition of terms, dates and names, what's done in particular steps, specific differences or similarities between items, and perhaps the judgments or values of others toward items. Essay exams require a more general level of recall of information . Instead of details, you must know the major ideas, the parts, steps, and implications of a concept, principle, or key idea. And you must be able to explain, analyze, compare, and evaluate the information. Objective exams do not focus only on objective and factual information .