Taking Notes in the Classroom - Handling Difficult Material

Note taking is one of the most common and most useful study methods that an individual might use to study for a particular exam, interview, or other similar purpose. However, it is important for an individual to make sure that his or her notes are as complete and accurate as possible. Unfortunately, this can be extremely difficult if the individual is having difficulty understanding the material. As a result, it is essential for an individual that is having difficulty with the material to find ways of taking notes on the material even if the individual may not understand the notes that he or she is taking.

Fortunately, there are several ways that an individual can handle difficult material and make sure that he or she is taking effective notes on that material. First, even if the individual does not understand what the professor is attempting to say, the individual should just write down what he or she believes the professor is attempting to say. The individual should then mark any notes that he or she does not understand by circling the notes, writing a one or two word description of what the individual does not understand about that information, or simply by drawing a quick question mark near those notes. This will allow the individual to go back later and attempt to understand the material that he or she is having difficulty with by reading related material or asking questions. Secondly, an individual should try not to focus too much on specific areas of the lecture that he or she is having difficulty understanding, but rather try to focus on taking notes for everything in the lecture. In other words, the individual should try not to spend too much time on attempting to figure out what the professor is saying during class because the individual can try to figure it out later. It is more important for the individual to take notes on all of the topics that are covered in class than it is for the individual to understand all of the notes that he or she takes during class. Finally, once the individual has taken any notes that he or she does not understand, the individual should attempt to find the answer to any questions that he or she has about those notes as soon as it makes sense to do so. Usually, this means that the individual should wait until after class is over, but if questions are allowed during class, the individual should ask the professor immediately.