Taking notes is important!
Taking notes is essential in any type of class that the person is taking, no matter the atmosphere that they are taking these notes in. Therefore, there are several tips that the person can follow in order to make sure that their notes are the only study guide that they need when preparing for a big exam, and they will find that these notes are going to be something that is going to help to redefine the idea behind the lesson in their minds.
First off, for those that are taking notes during a lecture, then they are going to realize that it is impossible to take notes word for word of what the instructor is saying. Many people prefer to have a handy recorder in order to tape this then go back over this recording once class is over to get the necessary notes. However, for those that do not want to do this, they are going to find that being prepared for class, such as reading the assignments and so forth is going to help them notice where the main points are in the lecture. The teacher may also emphasize some points and remind people to take note of this, which does help many people.
Those that are taking notes from their textbook are going to find that the main problem that they have is not knowing just how much they should be writing down. This is a common problem of many people. You do not want to highlight the entire textbook onto your page of notes. Therefore, a good rule of thumb is that for every section, pick out the main points of this and write them down. If you find that the notes require more detail, make a note in your notes on what page to turn to in the textbook in order to get the most benefit from the note taking process.
One of the other aspects that people need to remember to do is that they do not have to take notes as though they are writing a long detailed letter to someone. If you can devise your own type of short hand that you can understand later, then by all means do this. You are going to find that this is a great way to save time, while still getting the notes that are being needed for the class.
A few other tips that may come in handy to those that are taking notes is to remember that you are going to want to write neatly and legible since more than likely you cannot go back to decipher notes from a lecture since you may not remember what is going on. Most people will stat that writing notes in pencil is best that way you can go back and add or erase things that are no longer needed. With that being said, the person should also allow a few lines in between subjects so that they can go back and review. A good idea is to also write questions in the margins that are going to help to illiterate the concept for the person and is a good way to stimulate thinking on the subject.