How to take better notes

Taking notes is one of the most important parts of your college career. Here are some tips that will make your note-taking more effective.

Organize everything- If you are going to write your notes in the same notebook for multiple subjects and modules when the notes are completed, hole punch them and organize them in a specific spot so they will be easy to find when you need to go over them again.

Do not write EVERYTHING you hear- Writing too many notes can be just as ineffective as not taking any at all. Write your notes with abbreviations when possible and write down only the most important information. Listening to the lecture is important too; do not put all your effort into solely taking notes.

Do not waste the notes you take- Make sure you review your notes even before the exam you have to take. According to jerz.setonhill.edu, we lose up to half of the information we learn just twenty minutes after we hear it. If an exam is multiple weeks away that number jumps to over 70%. Make sure to take a bit of time to review the notes you wrote down, even before you need them.

Find a strategy, and stick to it- There are quite a few different ways to take notes, Cornell 2-6-2 method, or a visual aid style. No matter what you choose, even if it is not one of the standard note-taking methods, keep doing it. Without having to worry about how you are taking notes the entire process becomes easier.

Use ink and leave room for additional notes- Using a pen makes notes clearer without any rub away like you get with pencil and you do not have to worry about your pen breaking on you. Leaving extra room for notes on top of your existing ones helps you learn more, to clarify the ones that are already written, as well as letting you jot down additional info that could help in the future. If you have a chance to make your notes better, always take the opportunity.

For any additional information, visit us online at www.ach.edu or call us at (951) 729-5320 or (323) 585-9000

American College of Healthcare and Technology has two convenient locations.

Our Huntington Park offers the follow programs: Medical Assistant, Medical Billing & Coding, Veterinary Assistant, and Massage Therapy & Physical Therapy Aide.

Our Huntington Park campus proudly serves the following communities: Bell, Bell Gardens, Compton, Southgate, Los Angeles, Vernon, Maywood, Cudahy, Florence, South Central LA, Watts, Lynwood, City of industry, Lawndale, Paramount, Inglewood, Commerce, Downy, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Carson, Long Beach, Bellflower, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Whittier, Gardena, Hawthorne, El Monte, La Puente, Monterrey Park.

Our Riverside campus offers the following programs: Medical Assistant, Medical Billing & Coding, Veterinary Assistant, Massage Therapy & Physical Therapy Aide, Dental Assistant, Surgical Technology, and Pharmacy Technician.

Our Riverside campus proudly serves the following communities: Corona, Moreno Valley, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Perris, La Sierra, Arlington, Jurupa Valley, Rialto, Pedley, Mira Loma, Rubidoux, Bloomington, Colton, San Bernardino, Redlands, Wildomar, Temecula, Murrieta, Loma Linda, Fontana, Grand Terrace, and Glen Avon.

11801 Pierce St., Suite 100
Riverside, California 92505
(951) 729-5320

6606 Pacific Blvd, Suite 204
Huntington Park, California 90255
(323) 585-9000