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Note taking in lectures and tutorials: After the Lecture or Tutorial

Get some great strategies and tips for taking notes in lectures and tutorials

After the Lecture or Tutorial

Straight after the lecture

  • Revise your notes as quickly as possible after the lecture, as you will still be able to remember a good deal of what was said.
  • If the lecture has been recorded, you can listen to it again to fill in any gaps in your note taking.
  • Re-read your notes within 24 hours if possible; your recall will diminish as time passes.
  • Rewrite or type your notes, if you have time, to make them clearer and more organised.
  • Use coloured pens, highlighters and other visual tools to expand your notes into summaries, mind maps and self- revision guides. You will be likely to review your notes again if they are interesting to look at.
  • Include your own diagrams and comments, and links to other related sources, such as journal articles. 

The same week

  • Revise your notes again to refresh your memory. This helps your brain move new information from your short term memory into your long term memory.
  • Follow up and read through any suggested reading material from the lecture.
  • Make additional notes and summaries of important ideas and information.
  • Note links to upcoming assessment tasks.
  • Ask question in tutorials to clarify anything you have not understood.

Before the next lecture

  • Review you notes again as they may help you understand the context for the next lecture.