Evening Course Note-taking
Here is some advice to help you get the maximum benefit from your lectures.
a) What is the purpose of lectures?
The primary purpose of lectures is to convey information. However, obtaining information can often better be achieved by reading books and there are plenty of books readily available. So why not just a reading list? Lectures can be effectively used to give guidance towards key issues and to float ideas for consideration.
Lecturers recognise that they cannot cover everything, therefore select the most important material. They also seek to make you think about an issue, sometimes by being controversial in their statements. For this reason it is never enough just to take down lecture notes and learn the material. You must think it through, do extra reading wherever possible and organise the material in a way that will help you learn.
b) The lecturers are there to teach you
It is important to inform your lecturer of problems you are having. If you do not understand something, ask questions. You should, however, choose the appropriate time. Some questions need to be asked immediately, others disrupt the flow of the lecture. Be sensitive to the needs of others in the class, but pursue the question until you get an answer. If you cannot hear, if you are confused, or if the material is hard to follow, tell the lecturer.
c) Preparation
You will get a lot more from a lecture if you are properly prepared. Here are two suggestions how to prepare:
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review previous lectures. Prior to the lecture you should read through the previous material so that you can remember what is being built on
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read beforehand - even if only a summary from a Bible Dictionary, it will help you understand some of the material to be presented. This is where textbooks prove helpful
d) Material
How you organise your notes can be important. Here are some suggestions:
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use a loose leaf folder. This will allow you to reorganise your material in a way that suits you, such as adding notes from your reading etc.
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write on one side of the paper so that you can put extra notes on the opposite page in your folder
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leave plenty of space on the page so that it is easier to read later
e) Notes are just that - notes!
Don't try to write down everything. Just record key material. Trying to write down everything means that you might miss insights that can be the most valuable part of the lecture. Some suggestions include:
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think before you write
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use note form rather than prose- develop your own shorthand- use indents for easier reading
f) After the lecture
After the lecture there are a number of things you should do to obtain maximum benefits:
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re-read your notes as soon as possible
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tidy up the material and make any corrections
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do NOT rewrite, it's a waste of time
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note anything you don't understand
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try to work it out yourself first, then ask other students, and if you still do not understand it then ask the lecturer
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note any issues to raise at the next lecture
g) Read other material
Read other material as soon as possible and add any extra material to the lecture notes.
h) Summarise material
Summarise material at the end of each section and begin to learn the summaries. The reasons for doing this and a detailed explanation of how to do it are set out in the 'How to Study' book.
