Overview

Taking effective notes in class can help you organize ideas, recognize relationships, remember and evaluate information, and identify any confusing ideas. To take useful notes, write down key words or phrases in outline form, underlining, highlighting, or starring main ideas and important points. Revise your notes after class, and keep them in a special folder or notebook.

You can study more effectively at home by focusing on one assignment at a time and taking short breaks to keep you refreshed. Write down any questions you want to ask during classroom discussions. Review your study material: the more you review, the more information you are likely to remember.

Studying effectively begins with reading attentively. Adjust your reading speed—skim, scan, or read in-depth—accordingly to the demands of the material. To improve your reading comprehension skills: ask questions as you read, summarize the material when you finish a section, and try to predict what will come next. Read critically, distinguishing fact from fiction and figurative language from literal language.

Sometimes graphic images can communicate information more clearly than writing alone: tables separate information into categories so that you can compare specific items easily; bar graphs allow you to easily compare quantities; flow charts and cluster diagrams show relationships among items, ideas, and events; and maps represent geographical location.