When it comes to college classes, nobody has to tell you that the faster you can take notes, the better. It doesn’t matter if the professor is speaking about world history or 15th century poets, when you’re trying to understand key ideas and facts, you need to write or type quickly. How can you implement effective note-taking strategies in a way that improves your academic performance? To help answer these questions, here’s a look at the benefits of textbook note-taking strategies, why the computer can’t be your only resource, and tips for improving your overall note-taking skills.
Benefits from Faster Note-Taking Habits
Being able to jot down key ideas and information quickly and accurately is beneficial for many reasons. As a college student, fast note taking may help you have:
- Better memory retention
- More efficient use of study time
- Less likelihood of missing important chunks of info
- Improved academic performance
- Less time wasted trying to hunt down pieces of a lecture you didn’t catch
When the Computer Isn’t Available
In today’s technology-driven society, taking notes on the computer is fairly standard. However, if you can’t bring your laptop with you to class for whatever reason, you’ll need a backup option for effective note-taking strategies.
Tips for Improving Note-Taking Skills
To take notes better and faster, here are some helpful resources to consult:
- Develop a Shorthand Skill. Being able to abbreviate words through shorthand is a brilliant time-saver when it comes to the classroom. Take the time to learn a shorthand skill that works for you and cut hours of time writing content.
- Take a Speed-Writing Course. Learn a better system of note taking in a matter of hours when you take the “Speed Writing Skills Training Course” from TextbookRush. Through six easy-to-follow lessons that each take about an hour, you learn an alternative shorthand system for taking notes during lectures.
- Read a Book on Note Taking. Get some helpful tips on note taking by picking up a book like “Human Behavior Listening, Note Taking, and Discussion.” In it, you develop valuable skills for listening to and recording information, through recorded interviews and lectures.
Whether you’re a freshman or a soon-to-be grad, taking notes is vital to studying. Use the note-taking strategies above to make the most of the way you record information during lectures, and get in touch with us at TextbookRush to take a course or read a book that can help!
