Taking notes on your course
Effective note taking is essential for academic success and can help you
- keep motivated and concentrated while you study
- improve your understanding by making you read actively and critically
- internalise difficult ideas by putting them into your own words
- organise your ideas in preparation for writing, leading to fuller, better connected arguments in your essays
- be more focused and time-efficient in your exam revision period
- assess your own progress as you study
In general, your notes should be brief and to the point. Take time to think about
- what is expected of you, by reviewing the learning outcomes listed in your course materials
- what each assignment requires you to do
- how you learn best, so you can choose the most effective some techniques.
Mel's advice on note taking
- Listen to audio or read the transcript
Note: you will need your OU computer username and password to access the audio and transcript.
Making life easier
With Google Docs and Spreadsheets you can upload your own files, create new ones and share your files with others.
The files you upload or create are stored in an online secure area; you can then access your documents online from any computer you use.