The Importance of Note-Taking Skills
- According to Princeton University, a student will forget about 50 percent of all the information he learns in a lecture if he doesn't review his notes within 24 hours of recording them. However, when the same student reviews his notes, his retention rate of classroom material rises. This can be helpful when studying for a test, writing a paper or cramming for your final exam. Instead of having to go through all of your notes again and try to make sense of what you wrote down months ago, you will find that you can easily call back the information you reviewed.
- In their article from the "WAC Journal," Françoise Boch and Annie Piolat state that "the taking of notes can aid time-consuming, real-time thought processes, such as the resolution of mathematical problems." The act of note taking serves as practice and application of certain skills that are required to solve complex problems. In a mathematics class, for example, you will gradually learn how to solve a math problem simply by taking notes in class and reviewing those notes later, which serves as excellent practice for problem solving.
- In their article from the "WAC Journal," Françoise Boch and Annie Piolat state that "the taking of notes seems to ease the load on the working memory." As a student, memory is an extremely important tool. You must use your memory often and practice memorization strategies in order to make sure that you retain the information you learn for many years after you graduate. By taking notes, you help your brain make the necessary connections for creating a memory that will last for years.
- It can be difficult to focus throughout a lecture, especially a lecture that is long and on a topic that you aren't particularly interested in. Taking notes allows you to maintain a strict focus on what your teacher is saying, process the concepts that you are being taught and devote your attention solely to the instructor. Make sure that you don't simply write down the words that your professor is saying. Note-taking skills are most effective when you think about what you are learning and write down only the most important parts.
