The Cornell method of note-taking offers an effective strategy for taking notes that will make great study tools later in the semester. To complete this method, use a ruler to measure out a margin of 2 1/2 inches from the left side of the paper. Draw a line down the page. Take notes on the right side of the page. When your professor moves on to a new topic, skip a few lines and continue writing. After class, review your notes and create a title for each section of notes you took on the right side. Place this label on the left side of the page. Cover up the right side of the page when studying to determine how much you know about each topic.
Outlining is a concept commonly used by students trying to organize thoughts to be included in a formal paper. It can also be an excellent way to keep lecture notes organized and focused. When your professor moves on to a new topic, create a new Roman numeral. Include all topics and subtopics under the main section using an outline format. This type of note-taking allows you to easily find the topics you most need to review in preparation for an exam.
Some students are visual learners. For those students, mapping out concepts is a good idea because it appeals to the type of learning these students find most attractive and useful. Begin by drawing a box or circle around a main point your professor presents. Using arrows, continue writing and connecting concepts as your teacher mentions them. Later, when looking over your notes, notice how everything flows together.
For some students, especially those students who type fast, recording complete thoughts and sentences from your professor during the lecture is effective. It's important to remember that not everything your professor says will be on the exam. It may be hard to use this method to determine later which points your professor thinks are most important. When using this method, number each new thought so that you can build relationships between concepts as you study.