• Eat a snack before class (especially if your class goes through a mealtime). If you are snacking during class, you probably are not taking notes. Or worse, you are being noisy and distracting your classmates. If you eat a snack beforehand, you won't be thinking about lunch instead of listening.
• Stay hydrated with water.
• Be prepared. Bring extra pen, pencil, lead, and paper. If you are using a computer or tablet, make sure it is fully charged and you bring your charger. The worst thing to happen is to run out of ink or that your device runs out of juice in the middle of class.
• Read/watch (or at least skim) the assigned materials before class. It is unlikely your instructor assigned you reading or video just for busywork. Often, these materials will either introduce a topic that will be covered next class or help to reinforce a topic that was just covered.
• If the slideshow for the next class is posted early, go through it.
• If you are taking a course that uses recorded video/audio, it may be worth it to watch the video/listen to the audio once all the way through without pausing (except if you need to go to the bathroom, answer a phone call, etc.). Then, once you've done that, watch/listen to it again and take notes. Don't forget to pause the recording while you are taking notes. If you are not sure about what you just heard, rewind the recording.
• Choose a note-taking method that best suits you. 

• Do NOT write everything that is being said, written on the board, or is on the slides. Paraphrase instead. Otherwise, you will get bogged down trying to transcribe every word rather than paying attention to the material or presentation
• Write in your own words
  • Write in print instead of cursive. This can help with deciphering your notes later. Writing in print also forces you to slow down and write deliberately.
• Write the name of the course and/or the topic of the class and the date on a fresh page. Number subsequent pages. This will be useful for organizing your notes later on, especially if you use the same notebook for each course.
• Use a different notebook or section of your notebook for each course. If you are using a device, open up a new file and store that file in a folder that has the name of the course and semester year (ex, FYE101A_Fall2021). This way notes do not meld together and are easily accessible for you to review later
• Pay attention to what is being presented on slides, written on the board, or being repeated. These are often important things (the main points, sub-points, or important details) that your instructor wants you to remember
  • Watch out for keywords and phrases such as "Importantly...", "Most useful...", "To conclude...", "A brief introduction..." and so on
  • Pay attention to the way the instructor is presenting. If they move away from the podium to point at a specific word or phrase, chances are it's important for you to take note of it
• Use Abbreviations (abbr => abbreviation, ex => example, b4 => before, etc => etcetera, H2O => water, b/c => because, pt => point and so on), symbols, and pictures. In fact, you may find that your major has plenty of commonly used abbreviations or shorthand systems and symbols to represent different ideas or phrases. If you are coming up with your own, write down your shorthand and the meaning so you can refer back to it later. You can also use the Ford Improved Shorthand Method. Simple pictures can also help with quickly getting an idea or concept down on paper without needing to think about the words to explain them.
• If you have a question, raise your hand and wait to ask or jot it down to ask later
• Whatever note-taking method you choose, try to stick with it for at least that day and switch to a different one later
• Do not try to color-code your notes during class-- do that later. Use a single color (other than black) and/or switch up colors for each course
• Spelling and grammar are unimportant during class, but you can (and should!) correct them later

This method is likely the most commonly used. You write a point, go to the next line and indent, write a bit about it and go to the next line and do the same. The Outline method organizes notes based on main points and sub-points, with quick descriptions of each. Kind of like following a recipe for a three-course meal.

It is useful for keeping organized notes during class and helps to see connections between points and ideas. However, going back to review notes using the Outline Method may become daunting or even confusing. 

Also known as the "Mind Tree", it is one of the more creative methods. Start with the lecture title (or key topic) in the center of the page. Then, for each sub-topic or key detail, create another bubble and connect it to the main topic. For each point about the sub-topic, make another bubble and connect it to the sub-topic(s) that it is about. The Mind Mapping Method is useful for showing connections between topics and points. Keep each bubble down to 2-4 words at most. If you need to clarify points/bubbles or add details, you can do that later.

Mind Maps are also often used to create quick outlines for writing essays.

In the example on the right, we used Google Drawing though there are plenty of other dedicated applications, such as Google Jamboard, Microsoft Whiteboard, or Miro.

This method is very simple and extremely useful if you know the main points/topics beforehand. Title each column with a topic or key point. Write details about that topic in its column. The Chart Method is great for quick note-taking and later review of specific topics or points.

This is similar to creating a shopping list if you already know what meals you have planned for the week, or maybe an activity planner for a vacation.

A simple method used for taking quick notes and similar to the Outline Method. The Sentence Method is organized by topics, with sentences underneath. Keep in mind, "sentences" in this context just mean a single complete thought-- you can still use abbreviations, symbols, and pictures. Do not get hung up on spelling and grammar. Save that for rewriting your notes later. The important thing here is that each key detail of a main point/topic is on its own line.

This method is similar to creating a more detailed recipe, telling you exactly what to do and for how long, for a 3-course meal.