Writing on the lines
The old-school way of learning, and to be honest it still works perfectly for some people. You follow the lecturer and write down the things that are important, that stand out to you, or (if you're a visual learner like me) just so you can see it on paper and print it in your mind before filing it away and never looking at it again (okay, do as I say but NOT as I do on that one!).
Bullet Points
I LOVE my bullet points, and to be fair they get involved with all kind of note taking, but rather than write odd words here and there, or complete sentences or phrases that are often repetitive and unnecessary, incorporate bullet points.
Highlighting and Different Coloured Pens!
Okay, maybe this is my OCD side coming out, but I highlight in a colour co-ordinated fashion, purple is references, yellow are key facts, and when it comes to trying to find out that key bit of information from hundreds of notes, it really helps.
Interacting with Printed Slides
Lecturers will often put up their slides on BREO prior to their talk (and if they don't you can always ask). I did this a lot in my first year AND used it for revision to remember everything I had learnt.
Mind Maps
I actually picked this one up recently at a training day in my school, and I realised I already used mind maps but perhaps not to its full potential! You start with your main theme, ideologies for example (but it could be childhood perceptions, welfare systems etc.) and create branches on the different stems like Marxism (or Universialism, Feminism, etc.). Marxism would then have branches to define what it stands for, how it is perceived in today's world, or you could even start a new mind map on a new piece of paper. This is great for in class note taking or for revision too.
Check out this youtube clip on Mind Maps for language learning (we're learning our own academic language remember) and the guy explains how powerful it is for our brain connections.
and don't forget the Recommended Books
Essential
Cottrell,
S. (2008) The Study Skills Handbook,
3rd edn., Houndmills:
Palgrave
Moore,
S., Neville, C., Murphy, M. & Connolly, C. (2010) The Ultimate Study Skills Handbook, Milton Keynes: The Open
University
Background
Greetham,
B. (2008) How to write better essays,
2nd edn., Houndmills: Palgrave
McMillan,
K. & Wevers, J. (2006) Smarter Study
Skills Companion, Harlow: Pearson
Pears,
R. & Shields, G. (2010) Cite them
Right: the Essential Referencing Guide, 8th edn., Houndmills:
Palgrave
Stogdon,
C. & Kiteley, R. (2010) Study Skills
for Social Workers, London: Sage
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