<p>I know that many people have their own way of taking notes but I want to know, what is your method and what helps you? I can't seem to figure out what is important and what I'll remember.</p>
<p>I usually write down what the teacher has on the board in a summary type of way. I put key details, which is usually underlined by the teacher, and then I try to draw a picture or something so that it can help me remember.</p>
<p>@tacoperson123 that worked for me last year however, now that I’m doing more AP’s and more harder AP’s, the teachers expect us to be able to look over everything at home while they only tackle some key stuff however, the test is usually on more than just the key stuff.</p>
<p>I tried to take notes from the textbook but everything seems important to me and I end up writing down everything which equates to more time just rewriting the book then understanding. </p>
<p>In class, I just write down what’s on the board and other important facts the teacher says and put it in bullet point form. For textbook notes, I do the same kind of bullet-point thing where I write down the headings and then maybe one main idea per paragraph.If you’re having trouble deciding what’s important, try reading the section first then decide what the big picture is instead of writing as you read. I also make notecards as I read, so that it saves time and I don’t have to go back and look for all the key events/people/vocab. We also did these notes where you take each heading and turn it into a question, then answer the question in 1 sentence, so it’s condensed.</p>
<p>Raccoon NoteStyle:</p>
<ul>
<li>Write down anything on the board, but don’t be afraid to change exact wordings if it keeps the meaning the same and makes the wording more concise.</li>
<li>Be consistent with your shorthand.</li>
<li>If the teacher says it, but it’s not on the board, write it down. Some teachers have more information in what they say rather than what’s on the board.</li>
<li>Never rely solely on notes for more advanced (like AP) classes, always read your textbook or a good review book.</li>
<li>If it’s an example, use your best judgment in regards to writing it down. Example of an obscure person in history probably won’t be tested on (and probably shouldn’t be written down), but an example in math of a new type of problem should almost always be in your notes. Use ex: or Ex: to delineate examples.</li>
<li>If something pops into your head as you write it down, make a note of it off to the side if it will help you remember it. </li>
<li>I like to just write it down in a very linear fashion (with dashes, just as I’ve prepared this list), but another method may work better for you.
>If it’s a sub note, you may want to use another symbol to tell you that it belongs under another note, just as I’ve done here with the greater than symbol. </li>
</ul>
<p>As I’ve noted previously, taking notes during class is rarely helpful to me. I prefer to memorize information directly from the textbook, because I have an odd habit of remembering information with respect to its specific location on a page. Because of this, I never take textbook notes (unless required), and I only take class notes if (1) the information cannot be found in the textbook, (2) the information poorly arranged in the textbook, or (3) the teacher is peering over my shoulder wondering why I am doodling quantum mechanical thought experiments on my old quizzes.</p>
<p>However, when I do take notes, I largely use a dash/bullet structure to keep track of specific pieces of information. In mathematics classes, I’ll write down proofs, examples, and theorems, separated by spaces and lines. In literature classes, I’ll write down text analysis (but never summaries). In some classes, taking class notes serves the sole purpose of delineating what textbook material is and is not important for quizzes and exams.</p>