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LEARNING FROM LECTURES 231poem, or novel, notations in the
margin may be helpful.Should I tape record the lecture? Generally, no. Listening to the lec-Should I try to listen and not
write when I don’t understand
something?I can’t write as fast as my
professors talk. What should
I do?How can I better concentrate
on the lecture?How do I deal with an instructor
who constantly wanders from
one topic to another?What can I do about all
the technical terms in the
lecture that I can’t spell?ture again takes up considerable
time from other more useful study
methods like organizing the infor-
mation. However, if English is not
your primary language and you
have serious difficulty following
lectures, you might consider taping
lectures for a short time until you
improve your language skills.No. Keep taking notes; use blanks
to indicate that you missed some
material and question marks indi-
cating that you didn’t understand
something. Ask another student or
your instructor to explain material
you didn’t understand.Do not try to take verbatim notes.
Paraphrase and use abbreviations.
Insert blank lines and ask a student
in your class for the notes you
missed.Sit in the front of the room. Be
certain to preview assignments.
Think about questions you may be
expected to answer on exams.Be sure to read the textbook to
discover organizing principles, and
attempt to organize notes after
class. Compare your notes with
other students.Write them phonetically, the way
they sound; fill in correct spellings
during editing.Table 9.1 presents a summary of the note-taking procedures dis-
cussed in this chapter.