Note Taking

There are many different note taking strategies.  Taking notes and using notes later is a key part of learning and remembering information from lectures, class discussions, and other activities. Because note taking is such an important part of the learning process, it's a good idea to take time to evaluate your processes and experiment to find what note taking strategies work for each of your courses.  Great note taking does take practice. 

Drake Access and Success Resources

• Take the following note taking self-assesment to find out areas of strengh and areas for improvement
  • Note Taking Self-Assessment

• The Cornell note taking method is a very popular method because it requires very little preparation. You divide up your paper and the system encourages you to reflect on your notes by actively summarizing them in your own words. 
  • Cornell Note Taking Method
  • Sample Cornell Note Taking Paper

• Here are some additional note taking methods that may be helpful if the Cornell method is not the best option for you.
  
  • Note Taking Methods

• Note Taking is a strategy you learn and takes practice. Here are some pointers as you develop the skill. 
  
  • Note Taking Strategies

Additional Resources

• Note Taking Tips (Notetakinghelp.com): Helpful website with tips on note taking such as “Keeping Your Notes Organized” and “How to take Notes on a Difficult Subject”. The website also has subcategories like “What Do I Do to Prepare for Class” and “What Do I Do with My Notes after Class” to help you take full advantage of great note taking strategies.
• Note Taking (Dartmouth College): The Dartmouth Academic Skills page has both handouts and useful videos on note taking. There are also informative links for note taking, listening, and participation.
• Mind Mapping with MindMeister: -MindMeister is a helpful organizational note taking app that you can use on your computer as well as a tablet, or phone. For video tutorials check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfIAqr6cBX4 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQxxl3TZYKE
• Evernote (note-taking): An advanced note taking utility, Evernote allows you to sync your notes across multiple platforms so your notes are always within reach. Evernote also gives you the power to better organize your notes and to share them with other members to help you succeed. For a video tutorial of Evernote, please watch either https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO9wQ3yP95w or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxMJGtBXkvc