Notes for essay

BUT, that doesn’t negate the fact that it’s a super-duper important skill that you really do need to master during your time at university. Get good at writing up your lecture notes and you’re far more likely to do well in your exams and your essays.

A handful of Post-Its and a crumpled pile of paper won’t be much help when you’re trying to outline your research essay. So if you’re listening to lectures, reading books, and scouring the Web as part of the research process, why not make the most of your efforts by brushing up on some note taking strategies?

Taking lecture notes with pen and paper arguably has its benefits. But if you want to take your lecture notes this way, there are still skills and techniques you need to familiarise yourself with.

As you can see, the left column contains keywords, leading questions, or other “header” types of material to help you scan your notes quickly. The right column contains the more detailed information you wish to record. Then, you review and synthesize your notes after writing them, filling in the summary section at the bottom of the page.