My New and THE BEST Note-Taking Strategies...EVER!!!

Taking notes is not only important when preparing for a test, but can maximize your learning abilities. During my first semester as a freshman, I would copy my notes that my professors gave on the PowerPoint or board and important things that the professor can mention during the lecture. I didn't know that there were ways that I could make the notes to be essentials for my evaluation in the future...

Plug-In Notes

I never used to take notes on the computer. But with Plug-In Notes, I found it pretty easy to to establish what I need to prepare myself for my evaluation. The first step was using my Microsoft Word on my Mac to take my notes for my CFS 201 class. The professor gives PowerPoint slides, so it's easy for me to write the notes in bullets. Writing the notes on the computer seems much more convenient for me than going to write with a pen in the notebook, especially if the class is fast-paced.

After I'm done writing the notes, I looked over them to see and review them. From the notes I create Graphic Organizers that can be really helpful when studying for my next exam. As a visual learner, it's also easy for me to look and see the graphics that I made, instead of looking at the bullets.

1+3 Notes

After looking at my notes (Plug-In Notes), I decided to make another strategy based on what I wrote that day. The 1 +3 notes is good for test preparation and the questions that the professor might ask me on the test. I divided the notebook page into three parts. The first part was writing the definitions that were given to me in the class. The second part involves creating a graphic organizer, just like the Plug-In Notes, but more hand written and with the definitions next to the graphic. Below the first two parts, are a series of questions that I created that will prepare me for the test. Since the test will be multiple choice, I based the question on which of the four types of martial relationships will she describe. Those questions are based off of what I saw in the first exam. This way, I will definitely learn more off the strategies than I ever did in the class lecture. Again, as a Visual learner, this allows me to look at the questions with anticipation and with the graphics already created by me.

My Thoughts

Both strategies were really, REALLY easy for me. In fact I decided to try this methods on some of my other courses. Using the 20 minute test prep after taking my notes on the computer, it's easy for me to study and make graphic organizers for both strategies. And it's also easy to write in the computer and making easy strategies for me to write. The one thing that I will make it different, is that I will try to have the graphic organizers after the notes to have separate sheets that makes it easier for my study abilities. Overall, the note-taking strategies are my FAVORITES things to do during my courses.

I encourage all of you to try these strategies ONLY once, because after trying once, you might want to do it all over again and again...