Effective Listening and

Note-Taking
by Johnie H. Scott, Assistant Professor
Pan African Studies Department - California State University, Northridge

INTRODUCTION

Second only to effectively managing one's time, being able to follow

lectures is the most important critical study skill that a student can have.
When you look at the profiles of successful students, there is a common
thread tying them together -- these are students who have the ability to take
comprehensive notes in virtually all classes regardless of who the instructor
might be or what the subject matter is. These are students who are not
sidetracked by the fact that an instructor may be softspoken, or speak with
an accent, or seem somewhat distant from the students in the classroom.
They understand that far more than the written material, what the instructor
chooses to emphasize -- and not emphasize -- while in the classroom has a
direct bearing on the objectives and requirements of the course along with
teacher expectations. The reality is that no two teachers, and no two
lecturers, are ever the same even though the course readings and
requirements may be identical. With that in mind, it is the purpose of this
particular presentation to present a format for taking effective lecture notes
or, better still, being effective in following and understanding what the
lecturer is trying to get across, knowing how to determine what is important
as opposed to what is not important or is of lesser importance.

In a word, this presentation focuses upon listening skills -- skills that

determine who is going to make it in an academic environment fairly easily
and who is going to have a difficult time. One must begin with an
understanding of just what a lecture represents -- "a dialogue between you
and the speaker." (Sotiriou, pg. 161). As with any dialogue, or flow of
communication, there are several exchanges that have to take place if the
communication is to be effective. First, you must be present to hear what is
being said. For students, this basically translates as being present for your
classes. You can be the world's greatest listener and you may be the fastest
note-taker on the planet, but none of this will do you any good if your
attendance is spotty and you are not present in class to know what is being
said or what is going on. Right along with that, you want to be close to the
speaker. In the classroom, this means getting a seat near the front of the
classroom. Not only will you be able to hear better what is being said, but
you will be able to see what is going on -- and seeing, here, means more
than following what is put on the blackboard. It also means being able to
follow what is being said, as much as possible, with your eyes. You must
understand that the oral communication dynamic is far different from sitting
at home or in a library to read a book or article.

The average reading speed is 250 words per minute, and you have time to
stop and reread passages that are difficult at your own leisure. The average
lecturer speaks at 125 words per minute, and this presents an entirely new
world for the listener. There are lecturers who speak faster, and there are
those who speak slower. There are those who are loud and emphatic in
contrast to those who are so softspoken that people sitting the back of the
classroom have difficulty hearing what is being said. You have lecturers
whose voices rise and fall, adding tone and color to what is being said. By
the same token, there are lecturers who speak in a monotone, so that if you
are not careful it is entirely likely that your mind will drift away from what
is being said, you will find yourself daydreaming, the next thing you know
the lecture is concluded and you have not taken a single note of what may
have been the most important lecture of the entire semester for that
particular course! There are 13 specific points that I want to make in regards
to taking effective classroom notes:

 Maintain a written record.

Set down a written record for each of your classes. This is very important
for studies have shown that forgetting begins almost immediately. Within
two weeks you will forget 80 percent or more of what you have heard. In
four weeks, you will be fortunate if 5 percent remains! (Langan, pg. 41).
What these facts say is so important that it must be repeated: to guard
against the inevitability of forgetting, you have to write down much of the
information being presented in class. Then, review your notes later so that
you understand and remember the ideas that were discussed. The more
complete your notes are when you review, the more likely you are to master
the information. Students often wonder how many notes should they take
and whether or not certain terms, facts or information are significant enough
to write down. The rule of thumb to follow is this: When in doubt, write it
down. You have to remember that writing too much, instead of too little,
may mean the difference between passing and failing a course or between a
high grade and a lower one.

 Sit Where You'll Be Seen.

There is a saying common among teachers and it goes something like this:
the farther in back of the class that a student sits, the lower that student's
grade. Now whether or not you agree with that statement is of little
importance. What is important and has to be considered is the thinking that
prompted the observation. What it says is that students who sit in the back of
the classroom, starting on that first day of classes, those students who sit
near the door, typically represent the students who will have a difficult time
following lectures, whose minds are not so much on the class as it is getting
through the day, who will present the most problems in terms of attendance.
Unfortunately, with ten years of experience in the classroom, I have seen
that statement proven true more often than not. Sitting in the back of the
class brings its own set of problems, not the least being the fact that the
teacher can very easily go an entire semester and not know your face or
name when it comes time for grading -- and believe me, you do not want to
have a teacher guessing who you might be when it comes time to assign a
grade for your work that semester!
The point here is that you want to sit where the teacher will always see you,
and where you can see the blackboard easily and clearly (this is especially
true if you happen to wear glasses or contact lenses!). If the class is
media-intensive, where the instructor uses films and videotapes, then it is all
the more important to get a seat near the front and establish it for the
semester. Sitting in front also means that you are much more likely to stay
focused in that classroom (you are not nearly as likely to fall asleep in the
front row, or to daydream!). When you sit in back of the class, you may be
signalling your attitude about the class or school itself -- worried that you
might be called upon (which is common to all students) or that you don't
really want to be in the class (which is an issue in and of itself).

 Try to Do Advance Reading.

Doing well in school, getting good grades on your exams, papers and in
your classes, going to on to graduate and do well in your professional career,
are all part of having a clearly defined and well-managed lifestyle. This
refers back to the 9-Step TMP and integrating that type of effective time
management into your life choices and decision making. For this third step
in effective listening and note-taking, we are dealing with what on the
surface appears to be the obvious -- that good note-takers are people who
read the material in advance; that is, the students who take the best notes
have done the assigned reading and, accordingly, have little trouble
following the lecture or understanding any new ideas discussed in class that
spring from the reading. Their notes are more organized and easier to follow
because they have a general grasp of the topic being discussed in class.
I always like to say that you have two types of students: students who come
to view and students who come to review. That first type of student, the one
who comes to view, is the one most likely to get into trouble. This is the
student for whom everything happening or being discussed in the classroom
is brand-new. This student is there, essentially, to "view" what is going on,
often for the first time. That second type of student, the one who comes
to"review," has done some reading in advance of the lecture, has had a
chance to go over notes from previous class meetings, and finds the lecture
an opportunity to review some of the material that was read earlier, perhaps
some material that was difficult to understand but now, with the lecture, the
light bulb has come on and there is illumination where before there may
have been just a hazy understanding of what was meant or implied. Needless
to say, it is the student who comes into the classroom to "review" that most
often gets the most out of the class, including the best grades. Doing reading
in advance allows you to prepare questions for the instructor based upon the
reading and the lecture itself, questions that the instructor can appreciate and
elaborate on. To be able to do this, and do it on a consistent basis, means
setting aside the time to read in advance and prepare effective reading notes.

 Make Systematic Notes.

When taking notes, you want to do so in an organized, systematic
fashion. There is no "magic" to the student who takes good notes, the
student who, at the end of the semester, is in a position to review
effectively and efficiently for examinations and papers based upon the
strength of their notes. They have developed a note-taking system, and
have learned to stay with it. Here are eight steps towards effective,
efficient note-taking that you can use:

1. Use full-sized 8 1/2"x11" paper. Do not use a small note tablet.

You will be using the margin space provided by the full-sized
paper. In addition, on a single page of full-sized paper you will
often see ideas or groups of related ideas that might not be so
easily seen when spread over several small pages;
2. Use a ballpoint pen. This is in order to write quickly --
something that can't be done as well with a pencil or a felt-tip
pen. Don't worry about mistakes with a pen that makes marks
you can't erase. Just cross out the mistakes!;
3. Keep all the notes from each course together in a separate
section of a notebook. Use either a looseleaf binder with
 separate sections, or a large spiral notebook that has several
sections. The looseleaf binder, however, allows you to insert
course handouts and related materials;
4. Date each day's notes and try to title the notes for each lecture;
5. Take notes on one side of the page only, leaving space at the
top and on the left-hand margin. Using only one side
eliminates the bother, when you are studying, of having to flip
pages over and then flip then back to follow the development
of an idea or discussion. Leaving wide margins gives you
space to add to your notes later, should you so desire;
6. Write legibly. When you prepare for a test you want to spend
the time studying -- not trying to decipher your own
handwriting;
7. To save time when note-taking, abbreviate recurring terms.
Place a key for these abbreviate terms in the top margin of
your notes. For example, in a biology class ch could stand for
chromosome ; in a sociology class o c could stand for operant
conditioning . When the lecture is over, you may want to go
back and fill in the words you have abbreviated (again, for
easier reading when preparing for examinations).

In addition, abbreviate the following common words by using the symbols

shown :

+ = and def = definition w/ = with eg = for example ex = example info

= information 1,2,3 = one, two, three, etc. MI = Main Idea

You should also make note that you can often omit words like a , and , and
the when taking notes.

8. I always tell my students when handing them the course

syllabus that one of the very first actions they should take is to
highlight all of the examination dates listed in the document.
Not only that, but they should transfer those exam dates to a
pocket calendar, appointment book or diary that they refer to.
They should do the same with due dates for major assignments,
especially presentations and papers. Nothing can be more
distressing for a student than to walk into class and see
everyone ready for an examination but themselves, or to see
people turning in papers and they left theirs at home or forgot
this was the due date for the project!
 Use an Outline for Your Notes.
Try to write down your notes in the following outline form. Start main
points at the margin. Indent secondary ideas and supporting details.
Further indent material that is subordinate to those secondary points.

Main points are listed at the margin.

Secondary points and supporting details are indented.
Material that is subordinate to secondary points is indented further.

Still another organizational aid: when the speaker shifts from one idea
to another, show this shift in concern by skipping a line or two,
leaving a clearly visible space.

 Be Alert for Signals of Importance.

As you can see, good listening and note-taking are special skills. When
following lectures, for example, you want to be alert to the "signals" that
lecturers give to indicate that certain material is important, that help you
in further organizing your notes for later study and review. There
are five such signals:

1. Write down whatever your teacher puts on the blackboard.

Ideally, print this material in large letters. If you don't have
time to print, write as you usually do and put the letters OB in
the margin to indicate that the material was written on the
board. When you review your notes later, you will know what
ideas the teacher emphasized.
2. Always write down definitions and enumerations. Most people
instinctively will write down definitions - explanations of key
terms in the subject being studied. But people often forget or
ignore enumerations, which are often just as important. An
enumeration is simply a list of items (marked 1,2,3 or with
other symbols) that fit under a particular heading. Teachers
often use enumerations, or lists, to show the relationship
among a group of ideas. They are signaled in such ways as:
"The four steps in the process are....."; "There were three main
 ideas expressed in the novel...."; "The two primary effects
were..."
3. Your instructor might say, "This is an important concept..."; or
"One point that will repeat itself in the material..."; or "The
primary cause was...."; or "Pay special attention to..."; or "The
basic idea here is..."; or "The thesis being advanced is..."; and
so forth. You want to make sure to write down important
statements announced by these and other emphasis words, and
mark imp or some other mark of your own choosing (one that
you can quickly and easily make out) to show their
importance;
4. If the lecturer repeats a point, you can usually assume that it is
important or relevant. You might even write R in the margin to
indicate that it was repeated in order to know that the instructor
stressed the idea in class; and finally,
5. A lecturer's voice may slowdown, become louder, or otherwise
signal that you are to write down exactly what is being said,
word for word. When this happens, do it!

 Write Down Examples.

This is so obvious that people sometimes forget to do it, or take it for
granted and then forget to do so. Write down any examples the teacher
might provide during the course of a lecture, and then mark them with
ex. These examples help you understand complex, abstract forms and
concepts. If you don't mark them with ex , then you are likely to forget
their purpose when you later review them for study. You do not have to
write down every single example, but you should do at least one to help
clarify the point(s) being made.

 Write Down Details That Connect or Explain.

Always write down the details that connect or explain main points. Too
many students copy only the major points the teachers puts on the
blackboard. These students don't understand that as time passes during
the semester, they may (and will)forget the specifics that serve as
connecting bridges between ideas. Make certain, then, to record the
connecting details that the instructor provides. When you do, you are
much more likely to remember and recall those relationships among the
major points in your notes.
  Leave Some Blank Spaces.
Leave some blank spaces for those ideas or items you miss. Immediately
after class, ask another student to help you fill in the blank spaces. A
good idea during the first week of class is to identify someone in the
class you can work with. Exchange telephone numbers, making certain
to indicate the best time to call. This way you are covered for the
semester, especially for those times -- and they do happen -- when
something comes up and you can't make it to class that day. One thing,
though, is not to make it a habit of missing classes. Your study friend
can easily become annoyed, and feel that they are being misused, when
they become the person receiving all the telephone calls for missed
lectures. It is also a good idea to ask the instructor at the beginning of
the semester if it is permissible to tape lectures. This is another way to
cover yourself for missed information.

 Ask Questions.
In a word, get involved with the subject matter and the instructor. Don't
hesitate to ask questions is certain points are confusing to you. Draw the
line, however, at asking too many questions, or asking questions simply
to be heard. Most instructors frown on this type of behavior from
students. But keep in mind when asking serious, relevant questions that
other students in the class probably have the same questions in mind but
are reluctant to ask them. Teachers do look favorably upon students who
show interest and curiosity in the subject.

 Take Notes during Discussions.

Most students miss out on this most valuable of opportunities. They
somehow perceive it in their minds as a sort of "time out" from class.
The point is that you do not want to stop taking notes during discussion
periods. There are lots of invaluable ideas that can and do come up
during informal sessions, ideas that your instructor may not present later
on. If your instructor puts notes on the board during a discussion period,
you can take that as a good sign that the material is important. If the
instructor pursues a point brought up during the discussion or takes the
class in a certain direction based upon a point brought up during the
discussion, then that is a strong bit of evidence that you should be taking
notes. And always keep in mind the note from the first step: when in
doubt, write it down.
 Take Notes Right Up to the End of Class.

Nothing is more irritating to an instructor than to see students start putting

away their notebooks and pens when there are 3-4 minutes left in the class.
It is as though the student is saying that nothing important will be said at the
end. Keep in mind that very often, because of time spent on discussions,
teachers may have critical points they want to cover in those closing minutes
of class and they will use that time to cram in that last bit of information
which might just be the summary for the entire period. Be ready to write as
rapidly as you can to get down this final rush of ideas.

 Review Your Notes Soon.

Go over your notes soon after class. While the material is still fresh in
your mind, make your notes as clear as possible. A day later may be too
late because forgetting sets in almost at once. The best time to start
studying your notes is within a day after taking them. Because of the
mind's tendency to forget material rapidly, a few minutes et aside for
study soon after class will give you more learning for less time and
effort than almost any other technique you can practice.

Now that you have developed your notes, you need to go over how to
study class notes. The following is one effective way to do so:

1. Use the margin at the side or top of each page. Jot down in the
margin a series of key words or phrases from your notes. These
key words or phrases, known as recall words , will help you in
pulling together and remembering the important ideas on the
page;
2. To test yourself on the material, turn those recall words in the
margin into questions. For instance, you might ask yourself,
"What are recall words?" If you follow this approach on a
regular basis, it will certainly help you remember the material
covered in your classes. By using this method, you will not be
left with a great deal of material to organize and learn right
before an exam. Instead, you will be able to devote quality
time before that examination to a final intensive review of the
subject matter.