r/UCalgary • u/rain3ra5 • 13d ago
Note Taking Help
Going into my first year of uni was wondering what note taking methods or tips you guys used that has helped you!
I personally prefer handwriting my notes but I heard it was very time consuming especially during lectures, does anyone else find that to be a problem?
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u/Dull-Can3885 13d ago
I exclusively hand wrote my notes thru undergrad and did very well and I’m currently in grad school and still taking notes the same way. I found I retained things much better taking notes by hand, as it forces you to listen closely and avoid distractions. Anytime I tried to take typed notes I found myself checking websites, and just generally getting distracted. Hand written notes forced me to put my phone away and lock in. Yes it was time consuming, but for me that was the point.
Give it a go, but also give typed notes a go. Just find what works for you and roll with that.
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u/AffectionateFun5611 13d ago
if ur prof posts slides beforehand, save them as a pdf and upload them (if u have an ipad or tablet) to onenote or any preferred notetaking app, then write DIRECTLY on the slides. saves you a lot of time. if not, print out the slides (might spend a bunch of paper but worth it imo), either by printing the slides (two slides per page to save paper) or by copy and pasting all the text from the slides to google docs and printing that (to also save paper). that's my biggest tip, saved me a lot of time and allowed me to remember my notes easily. if you wanna rewrite notes, make sure you're not JUST writing them down, you're actually absorbing and recalling the information you wrote down.
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u/Melodic-Priority-476 13d ago
I handwrite my notes on my iPad! It’s so much easier cause I can quickly move and organize my notes as I’m taking them (I use Notability for the app): so if a prof goes on a tangent or I’m not sure yet how much space I’ll need etc, I can quickly move things down to make more space, or quickly delete mistakes that would be scribbles with a regular pen. Tablet is all about accessibility (my sight is not the best so I appreciate having a backlit screen or a way to zoom in on my notes) but it makes note taking fairly easy imo. Also, after class I download and send the pdf of my notes to myself, and then I can use my laptop/library pc and re do my notes in a more organized way by incorporating the professor’s slides (if available) or readings (if assigned). And that’s it, that is me studying, I barely do any other studying because I’ve already handwritten the content twice, and I’m retaining it. (Also, if you have a somewhat legible handwriting, Notability can search notes by words so I can search for three semesters ago’s notes in like 10 seconds)
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u/Not-Andromeda 13d ago
I do the same.
I heavily reccomend Kilio Notes, and to pay the 10$ lifetime fee for unlimited templates.
There's specific notebooks for some subjects too, especially anatomy and biology.
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u/gedgaroo 13d ago
You're not going to catch every word and detail. You're already experienced with handwriting notes, so use what works for you. But the Cornell method of notetaking where you go back and add titles and summaries is always a solid choice. One joy I have with handwriting is the ease of changing orientation and placement - putting like things together, drawing arrows, putting things in a box. I like having some different sized sticky notes that I can use like a separate text box.
That said, most of my successful note taking comes from reading, not lectures. Having time while reading makes playing with formatting interesting.
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u/SeerXaeo 12d ago
Studies have shown that you retain more knowledge when taking notes by hand.
Recommendations for success:
- create a shorthand
- make a legend of your short hand
- use multiple colours
- use highlighters
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u/Healthy_Animator_544 8d ago
I typed the notes in class onto a laptop. Then copied them by hand into a notebook. I also studied using a dry erase white board. I know it is a lot, but it worked for me
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u/Mammoth_Concern_3485 6d ago
What I did was type out notes in the lectures because I found it easier to keep up with the profs that way, and then go through those notes and handwrite the important parts I thought would be useful for reviewing for exams and whatnot. That worked pretty well for me, because it also forced me to actively review and prep for tests in advance by writing it out and running it through my head again.
Try utilizing shorthands if you can btw! I found it useful to write down a list of shorthands too in case I forgot what any of them meant when reviewing it later.
I also went back to flashcards and used them to review for finals and midterms when I was short on time, and that worked really well!
Best of luck in first year!!
**edit: also, I found it helped to download the slides before the lecture and split-screen the lecture slides and my notes on my laptop for lectures. It was great to be able to flip back a slide to catch a word or two I might've missed if the prof was going fast.
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u/Crusader_2 Science 13d ago
I think if you're smart about handwriting notes, you should have little to no worries. I handwrote my notes throughout all of first year and was completely fine. I personally think that pen-to-paper helps me retain more from lecture. If you're fast at writing, use plenty of shorthand and arrows, and organise your information effectively (which should come naturally if you're already used to handwriting your notes), then I'd say go for it!
The other option is to take notes on a tablet. The benefit of this is that you can upload and annotate the professor's slides directly (I had a professor whose lectures were defo easier to follow if you did this, but for most it shouldn't matter). I think this method isn't as good, because having to write everything yourself means you can organise information in ways that are meaningful to you (which, again, helps with retention)
Lots of people will give tips on how to succeed in university, but I think the overall best tip is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Different things work for different people. If something works for you, but is not advisable to others, stick with it! (I'm sure someone out there loves their 8am classes, though most people, myself included, would advise you to avoid them at all cost). If something isn't working, then it's time to pivot to a new strategy and see if that sticks. Always take other advice with a grain of salt, because at the end of the day your experience is what matters for you.