Write down only the main points given by the speaker. You will not have time to write everything he says, so it is important to get information you find most valuable. If the speaker spends a significant amount of time explaining a concept, makes a list or discusses the cause and effect of a situation, this means the information is likely very important.
Create a uniform system that works for you. Learn to abbreviate words so you can write faster, but always do it the same way so that you know what the abbreviation stands for when reviewing your notes later. Try taking notes in outline form, which will make it easy to follow and to capture the main points.
Emphasize important information by writing it in capital letters, underlining it or finding another way to make it stand out to you.
Leave a blank space if you know you missed a main idea that you need to come back to later on. This will allow you the room to add the information in where it belongs, which will keep your notes organized.
Cross out mistakes instead of taking the time to erase them. Erasing will hold you up from taking notes that could serve to be important.
Leave a blank line in your notes to indicate that the speaker has transitioned from one topic to another. This will help to avoid confusion when you are reading your notes later on and trying to remember how the two topics were related.
Place a question mark next to any areas that will require you to seek further clarification later on. Always place these question marks in the page margin to make them stand out, otherwise it could get lost in your notes.
Review your notes after you have taken them to add in any information that you left out. This will make them more thorough and helpful to you later on.