Bonjour, kiddos.
Each type of class is different, but for the most part, you want to have some consistency with your note taking method. Take in-class notes in pencil, but when you re-copy them, do it in black pen. It is neater and does not smudge, which makes it a more reliable and long-lasting study guide. Keep colors handy for color coding. That’s coming soon. Keep your notes clipped together by chapter or by unit (or both!), whichever is more applicable to your class. Keeping them together will help you study for your final because it’ll all be together and in order.
Whether you take notes in Cornell Format, Outline Format (which is my personal favorite), or simple bullets or paragraphs, these should be easily implemented. Let's break it down.
Also, here's a link to Harvard Law's analysis on types of note taking. Pick one that you like jump in.
Foreign Language Classes
In order to get the most out of your language class, you must read and take notes on the chapter before you even learn about it in class. Not only does this give you the upper hand during oral practice and in-class activities, but it’s proven to cement the grammar and syntax rules into your head so that you will be able to fully understand a native speaker as you progress.
When you are actually taking the notes from the textbook, the first thing you should do is to find Vocabulary words (usually bolded or in a word bank in your book) and Translate & Define those words at the top of your notes in their own section, labelled Vocab. This makes it easy to recall those words when they appear in the actual lecture material.
Your Foreign Language Color Code should be something like this (colors may vary):
Vocabulary
Grammar Rule
Pronunciation
Culture Fact
English Classes
To get the most out of your english notes, again, read the material in advance and hi light themes, motifs, and literary devices as you go.
Organize your notes in class by the day that you take them. These can be taken in basically any way that you like. It’s the notes on your reading material that are important. Those should be organized in chunks on their own sheets of separate paper like this:
- Characters
- Plot
- Important Themes
- Motifs
The Character and Plot sections should only be small paragraphs with brief description. You don’t want to go overboard on those sections because that’s not necessarily where the important details lie.
For Important Themes and Motifs, you will want to return to your annotations that you made in your reading and chart things as they happen. If there is a reoccurring literary device or theme, say, if the author keeps making allusions to the ocean or ravens or blackberry bushes, note that down. Always include page numbers when you jot down an important quote, and line number if it’s a poem. Your teacher will ask you where you found it almost always.
Your English Class Color Code should be something like this (colors may vary):
1 Color per. Literary Device (there could be lots of these, so you'll have lots of colors!)
Character Description
Diction/Bizarre or Interesting Words
Recurrent Theme
Math Classes
Math lecture notes are probably the most important notes to get done clearly and correctly. If they’re messy or missing information when you go to rewrite them, go to the section in the textbook that you were being lectured on and take notes from there as well.
Organize by Concept or Topic in much the same way as you did for your language class, except with a few alterations:
- Emphasize your formulae in the black mass of your general notes so that they have your full attention and you will will remember them more clearly.
- Do at least ten practice problems from your text book every single night and include them at the end of every section of notes so that when you study, you can refer to the exact types of problems that will be present on your exam, and you can re-do them as you review.
Your Math Class Color Code should be something like this (colors may vary):
Formula
Rule
Proof
Example Problem Section
Science/Elective Classes
Most of the time, you can take your notes as you saw in the Language section; by Primary and Secondary topics. The changes here are slight, but very important.
- Include an absolute ton of diagrams. This will help you make connections that are critical to science and elective classes.
- If there is a chain of events or a process, do a flow diagram.
- If several topics connect, do a bubble chart.
- If you are comparing two things, do a Venn chart. (circles not necessary)
Your Science/Elective Class Color Code should be something like this (colors may vary):
Vocabulary
Primary Concept
Important Person/Date
History Classes
History classes are the ones with the most important color code. You will create separate sets of real flash cards for each color in your color code and study them separately, and then all together on a Quizlet set.
Your History Class Color Code MUST be something like this (colors may vary):
Person
Date
Conflict
Important Detail
Developing this color coding technique has helped me immensely throughout the years, as it condenses the material and prompts on the spot recognition come exam time. Best of luck to you and your comrades in education, dudes. Let's kick this year right where it counts.
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