Taking notes from Lectures

Active listening is an important skill that will help you get maximum learning gain from a lecture. To listen actively, listen for the signals the lecturer uses to stress important information. There are seven common signals used by most lecturers to signal important information:

• Introduction of a topic: For example "next, I am going to discuss..."
• Words that stress importance: For example "It is important to know that ...", "You should remember that ...", "The next exam will cover ...".
• Definitions: "The term adductor means ...", "Atrophy is a process that ...".
• Identification of a list or series of steps: "The stages in the process of wound healing are ...", "Damage to the ulnar nerve will cause the following list of problems...".
• Writing on the blackboard, speaking slowly and louder, body language.
• Showing a graphic or drawing on the blackboard.
• Summarizing or restating important points.

The second portion of taking notes concerns organization of the subject material in some sort of descending order of detail. The list of advance organizers that you prepared by previewing the subject matter to be covered in class could form the major headings in an outline, or the first step in the development of a "concept map". The outline would develop the subject material from more general to specific details. A concept map will interconnect the elements in the outline and demonstrate visually how they are related.