Exam skills: 5 tips about taking notes

If you're studying English in a classroom you're going to have to make notes. They're

useful ways of helping you to remember things and review what you've learnt – so it's

important to do it right. Here's our top tips about taking notes.

Start making notes for every lecture on a new page and date and number each page too.

That way it's easier to look back at them later and find what you want.

There's a lot to remember in a lesson so note taking is crucial but don't write everything

down. Write down the important bits – your teacher may suggest parts of the lesson that

need noting – but don't rely on this.

And write down things in your own words – unless it's a direct quote, then be accurate. Make

sure you understand what you have written and that you're making notes of the important

bits.

Use words, abbreviations, symbols or even pictures to summarise what your teacher says.

If you miss something, leave a gap in your notes, and get the information from them later.

After the lesson, use your notes. Remember to read through them after the lecture. You

could also rewrite or expand them too. And discuss them with another student. This will

help you remember the content better.

Note taking is an important and useful way to help you remember and revise what you've

learnt. Getting this right will make your learning journey easier. Good luck!