How to Take Effective Lecture Notes

Effective note taking is an important skill that many students have not mastered. Here are some tips for how to listen actively and take good lecture notes.
Taking excellent lecture notes is an essential skill. Effective note taking is just as important as learning how to write e an exam.
Here are some notetaking survival tips for college students.

1) Active listening.

"Passive" listening is what you do when you watch a sitcom or have a casual conversation. In contrast, active listening is when you listen carefully to make sure you understand and learn the information that is being conveyed. Here are some things you should do to listen actively.

* Listen for the main point and major subpoints. Don't just write everything down. Listen carefully and make sure you understand what the purpose of this lecture is. As you take down notes, keep the main point in mind and make sure you understand how these notes are related.
* Listen for an organizational structure. Listen carefully to figure out how the ideas are organized and they will make more sense. Of course, if your teacher provides an outline by writing on the board or using PowerPoint notes, take advantage of this.
* Pay attention to organizational cues. Listen carefully for words and phrases that reflect the organizational structure of the lecture. Pay close attention to the introduction, as it will probably indicate how you should organize your notes. Listen for "signpost" words to indicate a transition for one poin