A Note-Taking Checklist
One of the things you can do to ensure that you are doing a good job of taking notes is to work with a checklist. Use the following checklist several times to make sure you are using good note-taking practices. Note the date or occasion when you practiced good, active note-taking and check off the elements you completed. You may want to add some of your own hints to your list.
Did I?
- Review assignments using active reading.
- List and look up unfamiliar terms and concepts.
- List questions to ask or points where clarification is needed.
- Note difficult portions of the text.
- Put notes in the appropriate notebook or section.
- Arrange them according to type of notes.
- Begin each set on a new dated and numbered page.
- Abbreviate.
- Put notes into my own words.
- Keep the notes brief.
- Use the coding scheme I developed.
- Locate missing information.
- Check my texts and references to clarify a lecture.
- Number items or distinguish between major/minor points.
- Look/listen for word clues and other ways important concepts are highlighted.
- Review lecture notes within twenty-four hours.
- Check for errors and omissions.
