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222 CHAPTER 9will to able to use information from the textbook to elaborate on the
information by filling in missing details or clarifying ambiguities.- Review Notes From the Previous Class. This activity should not take
more than 5 or 10 minutes, but the time is very worthwhile. Under-
standing previous material often provides a foundation for learning
new material. The more information you do not understand, the more
difficult it is to make sense of new material. Look up definitions of
terms you do not understand and review computations in math and
science courses after each lecture. - Bring All Necessary Materials (e.g., Notebook, Pen, Handouts, Syllabus, and
Textbook) to Class. Prepare at least 20 sheets of note paper in the fol-
lowing format: draw a line down a sheet of paper, allowing for a
3-inch margin on the lefthand side of the page. Write lecture notes in
the wide righthand column and reserve the 3-inch margin for ques-
tions derived from the lecture notes. Many college bookstores sell
notebooks with 3-inch margins.
Keep your course syllabus in your binder or notebook, because
instructors sometimes change assignments or dates of examinations.
Placing changes directly in your syllabus will ensure that you do not
miss some important information.
Instructors often mention material in the textbook, use the text for
class discussions, or follow the text closely in their lectures. There-
fore, if you bring your textbook, you can mark the text or identify
specific pages in your notes. - Sit Toward the Front of the Room if You Have Difficulty Concentrating. The
closer you sit to the lecturer, the better able you are to see and hear
the instructor and to maintain eye contact. The further you sit from
the lecturer, the easier it is to be distracted by other students talking
or passing notes. - Date and Number Each Day’s Notes. There are two major reasons for
dating and numbering notes. The first is to be able to check the notes
with the assigned textbook reading. The second is to obtain notes for
days when you are absent. It is difficult to identify information in
your notes when you do not know the exact day of the lecture. If you
have a friend in class, it is easier to discuss your notes when you can
easily locate any given lecture.
During the Lecture- Listen Carefully to the Instructor and Take Notes That Focus on Main Ideas
and Supporting Details. Be alert for signals that indicate the importance
of information and suggest possible representations you can construct
after class.