How to Take Effective Notes
Writing notes can be difficult. Luckily, College in Your Community has put together a great blog to help you understand how to take effective notes. Some good advice includes not writing down everything you read or hear, but instead concentrating on the “meat” of the subjects, forgetting the “trimmings.” Notes should consist of key words, or very short sentences. If the speaker of the class or conference you’re attending gets side-tracked, you can go back and add further information. Make sure you’re not taking notes just to be taking notes! If the speaker is going too fast, don’t worry about missing a point. Leave space in your notes and maybe a keyword or two to remember what will be going there, and take the time to fill your notes later through reading, questioning or common sense. Keep everything organized and in one place, using a pad or a binder.
“If your techniques are a bit all over the place, it’s time to get back to the basics and reboot your notes. Remember: There is no single universal best technique, so look for one that will work for you, and feel free to experiment.Whether you’re attending a conference or something you don’t think will be note-heavy, such as a course from 3D animation colleges, make sure you’re bringing everything you need to be an attentive listener and an organized note-taker. Don’t forget paper, preferably a pad, pens, backup pens and, if necessary, eyeglasses or hearing aids.”