University of Florida
School of Music

Note-Taking Guidelines

1. Bring the right materials.  Make sure you have pen, pencil, paper, and any other materials you will need.
   

2. Use 8 1/2" by 11", standard size paper.  This size will fit most notebooks or folder.  Small sheets of paper won't hold enough and tend to get lost or out of place.
   

3. Keep track of your notes.  Put a date and heading on the first page of each days notes.  By identifying lecture/class topic for the day, later when you study, you'll be able to match up class notes, textbook notes, and assignment on the same topic.
   

4. Separate notes by class.  Keep the notes for one class separate from the notes for the other classes.  Number the pages of your notes for each class.  Use separate notebooks for each class, or use dividers to set aside different sections in one notebook.
   

5. Establish a set format for your notes.  The format of your notes is more important than writing speed or pretty handwriting.
   

6. Print or write clearly.  Illegible or decorative handwriting makes notes hard to read.
   

7. Use abbreviations.  Use standard abbreviations or make up some of your own words or phrases that you use often.
   

8. Use signals.  Brackets, parentheses, circles, and squares can be used to group important information together.  Use stars, arrows, and underlines to indicate important points.  Flag the most important points with double stars, double arrows, or double underlines.
   

9. Use a "lost" signal.  No matter how attentive and alert you are or how fast you write, sooner or later, you may get lost and confused while taking notes during a lecture.  If you can, raise your hand and ask a question.  If it's a bad time to ask a question, invent your own special signal for this, like a circled question mark, and write it in your notes..  The later you can ask you teacher or review a classmates notes.
   

10. Use complete sentences when material is important.  Sometimes key words aren't enough.  When a teacher repeats a sentence, using exactly the same words, she/he might be sending you a signal.
    

11. Keep your own thought separate.  Avoid writing your own opinions in your notes.  The danger is that when you review your notes, you may mistake your own ideas for that of your teacher.
    

12. As soon as possible after class, review your notes to fill in gaps while the information is still fresh in your mind.  The purpose of taking notes is to help you remember information.  If you take notes but don't look at them until you are ready to study for a test, you will have to learn the information all over.  To hold information in your long-term memory, review your notes frequently.
    

13. Compare notes with a friend.  If something seems to be missing from your notes, compare your notes with friends.  If you are still unsure, talk with your teacher.