South discusses good note-taking

By Victoria Almond/reporter

College students often struggle with taking notes in their classes, and those who do take notes struggle with organization, a South Campus advisor said Jan. 26.

Donna Gohlke lectured students on effective note-taking strategies. Before discussing the techniques for better note-taking, she urged students to “know what’s going to be discussed” before going to class.

Students who find they don’t have the time to read the entire chapter before class should at least skim through it or read the chapter summary to help familiarize themselves with the material, Gohlke said. After students have familiarized themselves with the material, she encouraged them to “disengage from things going on in your life and engage into class.”

There’s a difference between note-taking and note-making, she said. Note-making is in a student’s control pace. Students often struggle to keep up in class, she said, because they want to write too much or they feel they have to write down every word.

Gohlke discussed four strategies to effective note-taking: linear, concept maps, four-quarter method and the Cornell note method. She said she prefers both the linear and the Cornell method when she takes notes, and struggled with writing too much information when she was in school. She said students should use Google for note-taking strategies to help them in classes.

“Find what’s best for you,” she said.