[zigzag]

When I was last in grad school, Macs and laptops and CDs did not exist - it was all stone tablets. So I'm wondering: what do you folks find to be the most effective note-taking/studying methods these days? Are people really allowed to peck away at their iBooks during class? Is this efficient? What if you're just a two-fingered typist? Is it still better to just take notes by hand and type them up later?

What about recording? I bought a mike for my iPod, but then wondered if the mike on my iBook would work just as well. Does the iBook mike work well if you're typing at the same time? (I won't be in big lecture halls - mostly classrooms with 15-30 other idiots).

For note-takers, are there any especially good new tools out there, e.g. pens, notebooks? All I ever used was a ballpoint and a spiral notebook.

Anyway, tell us how you do it and why. If I get a gold star as a result of your suggestion, I'll name you in my will. TIA

[nonhuman]

In my 3.5 years at college I've so far only seen one person actually take notes on a computer, and that's this winter (it was a 12" pb, no less).

As for my own personal note-taking habits... Well, lets just say that my notes for my one class today (only had one class and a lab today ) was a full page of Japanese, Russian, French, and a little bit of English and Chinese. It was a computer science class in case your wondering, and no, none of it was relevant to the topic. I've had classes where I took almost 3 whole pages of notes for an entire term. For whatever reason, the more interested I am in a class the less notes I take (and yes, that does explain my full page of notes today).

[historylme]

I find it better to be redundant when taking notes.

I first take notes the old way and then I transcrive them into my ibook. I then edit and finally print them out.

When studying, I highlight these printed notes and add my own comments and additions.

You are doing double work, but it pays off because you remember thing better, and besides, when you study, it's all revision to begin with, so it's smart to revise from the get go.

but then, I use this method for History. I don't know any other major from a student view.

[andreas_g4]

I write down (on loose sheets of paper) what's on the table. Sometimes.

[Sherwin]

If you know what direction the coursework is going to be taking beforehand, get a bunch of relevant books out of the library and read them before the class. Try to absorb as much as possible.

The class then becomes a piecing together (or different perspective) of the information you already know, resulting in no need to take notes. In the long term, it also negates the need for revision before tests.

Worked for me.

[Psychonaut]

My 12" PB for notes using OmniOutline and Word. Also used for all my writings. OmniOutline has proved to be really useful for outlines (duh) as well. Simple and intuitive.

Assignments, reminders and duedates on my Tungsten E.

[Earth Mk. II]

Well, I actually do take notes on my PB - for my liberal arts classes at least. I can type much faster then I can write, and the results are much more readable as well... Come to think of it, I think I can type faster then I can read... as least when I'm not concerned with spelling/grammar.

I can easily keep pace with the prof with OmniOutliner. Points get written down in the outline and questions get written down in the notes so I can remember them when the prof actually stops talking.

Though, I think if you can write fast and legibly at the same time, then paper notes are probably the best way to go.

[Logic]

OK, I have never been good at taking notes(used my memory most of the time) so I'm not sure this works but this is my plan for this semester.

I just got my 12" PB so I'll take that to class.

Before classes I try to finish reading about what the teacher is going to talk about in each class.

I'll use OmniOutliner to take notes, as well as OmniGraffle. A good way to revise for the exams(I hope)

And in class I try to(if I have the time) to find something relevant on the internet as well.

Anyway, what are you guys going to study? I'm studying Molecular Biology.

[zigzag]

Thanks for the input - I had images of a room full of people banging away at their iBooks. I'll probably do it the old-fashioned way and supplement it with recordings. But it's interesting to hear about different approaches.

I agree that it's best to do the reading ahead of time and use class time to think instead of write, unfortunately with some teachers you're pretty much forced to take notes the whole time.

[Superchicken]

TextEdit for everything baby!

I think one day I might bite the wallet and moral bullet and buy Word or Office I actually really wanna get keynote but think I'm gona wait till version 2.

I type faster than I write, that said at my bible college in a class of 60ish people you'll generally get at least 5-8 laptops. Deppends on the class though.

In my wing of the dorm there are

Powerbook 180c
Acer Centrino
HP something or other
iBook 900 (mine)
iBook 500
Some PC note I can't remember what brand
Old Dell laptop
Used to be a Toshiba
and there's one more PC laptop.

Yah although almost everyone has computers, there are only two more Mac users on campus.

[Logic]

Originally posted by zigzag:
......supplement it with recordings.......

My dad, who teaches Reumatology at the Uni here, really hates when people use dictaphones(or similar devices to record the lectures). He says this will result in that people don't focus on the lecture itself because they have the recording if they "doze" for a few minutes in the lecture. One time he just had enough(while teaching nurses in another Uni here on Iceland, and said that he would not start the lecture until all dictaphones were off his desk and out of his sight

[Cipher13]

I rarely take notes; when I do, it's usually on paper, to be put onto the iBook later.

Most often, I draw and scribble on my paper, and let the info either seep in, or go straight through

Either way, seems to work for me...

[SupahCoolX]

I usually just use pen/paper. For this upcoming semester, though, I bought a Newton MessagePad 2100. I plan on taking notes in class in "ink text." Then, later on, I'll read through everything and convert it to text. This way, I have a good searchable, printable, backup-able text file to keep on my iBook, and I've forced my self to reread and review my notes. We'll see how it works.

[11011001]

I like pen and paper. I don't know.. I like the feel of actually writing.

Anyways, for me, I find it best to read whatever is on the board first, try to understand it briefly as the proff chatters away about it, and then, to write down a briefer summary than what is on the board.

The more lazy I am, or the more tired I feel, the less willing I am to concentrate, and the more word for word my notes are.

I have a PB, but, I opt for handwritten notes. Btw, my notes are primarily math and computer science related.

In terms of studying, I find reading my notes is best. Then, I will do example problems or past exams... and for clarification on unclear points I will consult the textbook.

It took me a long time to realize that notes are actually more useful than a textbook. They save one a lot of time in terms of reading and learning everything from the text. Listening and understanding what is taught in lecture (at the time of lecture) has become very important to my habits.

[BRussell]

I teach college classes and I see probably 1 person out of 200 taking notes with a computer. And my impression is that they're playing games rather than taking notes anyway. I don't even think recording is a particularly good idea, because you don't get any visuals that the prof might use.

Mind if I ask what you're taking at your... mature developmental stage?

[zigzag]

Originally posted by BRussell:
I teach college classes and I see probably 1 person out of 200 taking notes with a computer. And my impression is that they're playing games rather than taking notes anyway. I don't even think recording is a particularly good idea, because you don't get any visuals that the prof might use.

I would probably only record as a supplement, so if I missed something important I could refer to it. I think I'm mostly just feeling a bit insecure because I've been out of school for 20 years. I was never a very proficient note-taker.

Mind if I ask what you're taking at your... mature developmental stage?

Safecracking. I want to rob banks.

Actually, after 20 years I've decided to cede the legal arena to Simey and get a Masters in Information Sciences. I'm hoping I can dovetail my legal experience into it and do something noble like manage the National Archives, in which case I'll figure out a way to lose the Constitution and we can make up a new one in which the right to get new Macs for free shall not be infringed.

[Apple Pro Underwear]

My best tip and secret to my nerdiness is this:

Sit in the front row and look your professor in the face while you learn. Always made me feel i was making a connection and that I was always responsible week to week for my work in that class.

It also forces you to pay attention.

[SimeyTheLimey]

Most of my classmates in law school type their notes into laptops (even the occasional Mac). Some say it is faster. Others do it because by the end of the semester, they already have their outline -- they just condense their notes down.

Personally, I take notes the old fashioned way on paper. I think somewhat spacially so where I write something on the paper has something to do with how the elements I'm thinking about relate to one another. The condensing typed notes into an outline doesn't make sense to me either. I think people get tied up in producing a pretty product, but they forget that the point of an outline is to synthesize the material and learn it. The end product is almost irrelevant to that. My outlines are scribbled into notebooks. They look like doo-doo, but they work for me.

There are two exceptions where I think the laptop would be good. One is if you are just faster with a keyboard than writing. I have one friend who literally can type faster than people can lecture. He takes the class down verbatim. The other is that laptop notes can be searched for key words. I have seen that help people. Personally, however, I usually have a good idea where things are. But I have wished for a seach capability occasionally.

Oh, and also pen and paper doesn't come with Solitaire. Lots of law students seem to like Solitaire.

[WizOSX]

I've been a university professor for 30 years (economics). In all that time I've only had one student attempt to take notes with a laptop in class and he gave it up about the middle of the course. It really isn't very efficient. Even though I spend hours a day at my computer and have just about all my lectures in Word files, I wouldn't even think of using a computer in class if I were a student again.

[PJW]

I would not be able to take notes without my 12" PB. I'm not a fast writer, and my hand begins to cramp up after a few minutes of constant, steady writing. I do keep a big notebook with me at all times, in case I have to write down a diagram or something that I couldn't easily enter into my computer. Although I am a "hunt and peck" typist, I still am able to type in my notes much faster than the people around me are able to write them, and I'm always able to keep pace with the prof.

Generally, though, I don't take too many notes. If anything strikes me as being particularly important or interesting, I'll type it in, but most of the stuff I'm able to retain and remember at a later date.

[zigzag]

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
. . . Oh, and also pen and paper doesn't come with Solitaire. Lots of law students seem to like Solitaire.

That strikes a dangerous chord with me. I should probably leave the iBook at home.

Which reminds me: I guest-lectured at a Catholic girl's school last year (they got a special dispensation to allow me, a hopelessly profane person, through the doors), where every student had a laptop. If I had been from another planet, I would've concluded that every class at the school required close and prolonged study of the facial features of movie star Colin Farrell.

Actually, 20 years ago we had one guy bringing one of the early PCs - a Kaypro - to class. I think he's still recovering from back surgery.

[Timo]

Went to tons of school in my day, and the old notebook and pen set-up worked great.

Transcribing the important points of a lecture made sure I understood the thread of the lecture. I didn't find myself refering to my notes later (I mostly wrote papers in college, rather than taking exams) -- the learning had taken place with the writing.

To me it doesn't sound like you're going to have a problem. I think taping the lectures is also overkill, but I guess it can't hurt.

My only advice about note-taking: narrow ruled paper. Don't know why that it's just better.

[disectamac]

2 types of classes I don't bring a laptop to:

1. Classes that require very little note taking simply because its more interactive, group work, and discussion.

2. Classes where the instructor is so structured that all you need is a highlighter and the text book. Follow the instructure page by page and highlight in unison with the instructor. I hate those classes, they add very little value to what I can accomplish on my own reading the book at home.


Yet in most classes I've found taking notes on a laptop can produce better learning results then writting notes out and this is why. In some classes note taking is extensive. If I write out notes I spend most of time staring down at a sheet of paper as I write while I listen to the professor and seldom make eye contact or pay attention to the non verbal messages conveyed by the instructor.

On the other hand when I type out notes out I don't have to stare down or even watch the screen on the laptop. Not only can I type out what the professor writes out on a board or throws up on the overhead projector but I can also type out what the professor speaks as he or she speaks and type in my own thoughts on the subject as thoughts run through my head. While doing all of this I can look around the classroom and see 30 student heads all face down, hands cramped and struggling to keep it.


The downside is that it can be a distraction. Not that I do things like play games on my laptop during class but the distraction comes in the form of perception that a kid in school with a latop is probably playing games. And I'm sure some instructors can't help it but think that. Also whipping out a laptop in a class full of pencil pushers draws unwanted attention.

[fibroptikl]

In high-school; I used a pencil and paper.

To organize all of the stuff; I would take a piece of white copy paper; and at the title write "Homework: Monday, January 19th, 2004", or whatever the date is.

Then I'd format it and with each class write what I need to do. I could do a sample one cause I'm really bored.

Now, in college - I only have 4 classes (usually had 2, then we had 3, now I got 4) - so I'll probably use a piece of paper to keep/take or handle my assignments.

As far as notes go; if it's short: I'll write it and type it up later. If it's long; I'll type it up. I have a computer at my desk so I use that to my advantage and send the notes home at the end of the class.