Counselor advises on notes
by Beth Beach

   Taking effective notes involves more than just writing what an instructor says, a counselor emphasized to students on South Campus last week.
   Students cannot get every word down, so it is important to tune in to clues from the instructor, Steve Rakoff said in Effective Note Taking: Getting the Most Out of What the Instructor Says.
   “If an instructor goes through the trouble of writing something on the board, it’s important,” he said.
   Instructors often repeat important information and use cue words like “most important,” he said.
   Rakoff said effective note taking requires an effective method.
   “You would be amazed how much difference just using different colors makes,” he said.
   Writing on one side of paper, dating notes and leaving some white space to add more information later are tips to help a person study later, he said. Using some version of shorthand is also helpful, he added.
   Listening skills are another key.
   “Listening takes a lot of energy,” he said.
   Listening requires thinking about what is said rather than just recording, Rakoff said. Looking at the speaker, forming questions about what is said and repeating in a student’s own words can all be tools to ensure effective listening.
   Effective note taking begins by being prepared before class and ends with reviewing as soon as possible after class,    Rakoff said. Skimming over text and previous notes before class will help, he said.
   The sooner a student reviews notes after class, the more he can remember, Rakoff said.
   “That first hour [after class] is really crucial for study,” he said.