UndergradSkiller: Skill Set Map for Undergraduates and Their Educators

LEARNING AND SELF-MANAGEMENT: Learning and Study Skills

Note-Taking and Lectures

Effective note-taking can turn lectures from passive listening into opportunities for active learning. Different methods suit different contexts, and developing a system for reviewing and organizing notes is just as important as taking them.

Useful Resources on Note-Taking and Lectures:

The Learning Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. (n.d.). Getting the most from lectures. https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/getting-the-most-from-lectures

Annotation: Practical guide covering strategies for getting the most out of lectures, organized into before-class, during-class, and after-class phases. Includes advice on preparation, active listening, note-taking, self-testing, and summarizing. Addresses both in-person and online lecture formats.

Shier, M. (2020). Student success. BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/studentsuccess/chapter/note-taking

Annotation: Chapter from the textbook Student Success covering note-taking as a study skill. Describes and compares four note-taking methods (list, outline, concept map, and Cornell), with visual examples and guidance on when each is most effective. Also covers organizing and reviewing notes after class, strategies for missed classes, and collaborative note-taking.

Center for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University. (n.d.). Note-taking guide. https://ctl.stanford.edu/students/note-taking-guide

Annotation: Concise guide covering why note-taking matters, practical do's and don'ts, and an overview of four note-taking methods (outlining, Cornell notes, concept mapping, and annotating) with recommended digital tools for each. Also includes tips specific to online lectures.

Peer Review: None

Table of contents:

4.1. Finding Help and Support
4.1.1. Seeking Support
4.1.2. Communicating with Professors

4.2. Learning and Study Skills
4.2.1. How We Learn
4.2.2. Metacognition
4.2.3. Study Strategies
4.2.4. Studying in STEM

4.2.5. Note-Taking and Lectures

4.2.6. Exam Preparation

4.3. Time Management and Focus
4.3.1. Time Management Strategies
4.3.2. The Pomodoro Technique
4.3.3. Understanding Procrastination
4.3.4. Staying Motivated
4.3.5. Digital Focus Tools

4.4. Reflective Practice
4.4.1. Growth Mindset
4.4.2. Reflective Practice Tools

4.5. Wellbeing
4.5.1. Mental Health
4.5.2. Personal Wellbeing
4.5.3. Digital Wellbeing
4.5.4. Stress Management
4.5.5. Budgeting
4.5.6. Finding Friends

4.6. Adapting Your Study Approach
4.6.1. Neurodiversity and University
4.6.2. Studying with ADHD
4.6.3. Studying with Dyslexia and Assistive Tools

4.7. Skills and Career Planning
4.7.1. Identifying Your Skills
4.7.2. Setting Goals
4.7.3. Career Planning
4.7.4. Postgraduate Study
4.7.5. Internships and E-Learning

 

Author: Leeanne Irwin

Peer Reviewer(s): None