How do you take good notes from textbooks?

[Azxster]

I am trying to take notes from textbooks as I read... seems like I am retyping the book. I prefer to just read instead... typing seems to distract me from concentrating.

[HBP]

Why take notes from the textbook? Waste of time. Read it twice, get it over with. Or... at least thats what I would do if I read textbooks...:lol:

[DrunkDog]

Well, a lot of it depends on the lectures too. Personally, I try to read the chapter before lecture, then take notes at the lecture, then read through chapter again while taking notes. It may seem like it takes a lot of time, but actually writing down notes seems to make it much easier for me to remember key points. It also ends up saving you a lot of time studying for midterms and finals, so it all balances out eventually and you don't feel as stressed when studying.

[geronimo]

I don't really know how to take good notes either. I mean, I take good notes in class from the prof's lecture, but when it comes to the textbook I am never sure how to distinguish the important stuff from the unimportant stuff. I never used to take notes, I used to just read and do well, but in the past year and a half my old method doesn't seem to be working so well anymore. I tried to take notes, but I can't seem to get the right method. :(

[Azxster]

I realize I never look back at my notes... unless its examples, looking for formulas, or the lecture was copied down to paper from blackboard.

[Maximaro]

If I'm reading through the textbook for the first time and taking notes, I jot down things I don't know. If I know something already, I might just take one point just as a reminder.

I copy down exmaples if I'm still a little confused about what the textbook is explaining.

[FerrisB]

Reading and then retyping something while saying it out loud helps me with memory retention. I figure I'm engaging more of my brain with the same material so it sticks better. (visual, auditory and tactile)

[flygo]

I usually take down anything that's not terribly obvious, or something that I know I'll forget in 1-2 weeks time.

It helps to look at a past test beforehand (if possible) to see the type of material/questions you'll be tested on, and then take notes based on that!

[djnorm112]

depends on the person but i find taking notes a waste of time....as i have crappy hand writing can't even read my own notes...so why bother especially if you have to read them again a month or two down the road making it even more difficult to remember.


when i did jot down the notes i ended up reading the textbook again just to be sure i understood everything in the right context so again for me no point writing notes.

i prefer just highlighting important parts the first time around and reading it 3 times (not consecutively) before big exams. I might use different colours to emphasize certain points.

[MS_Project]

depends on the person but i find taking notes a waste of time....as i have crappy hand writing can't even read my own notes...so why bother especially if you have to read them again a month or two down the road making it even more difficult to remember.


when i did jot down the notes i ended up reading the textbook again just to be sure i understood everything in the right context so again for me no point writing notes.

i prefer just highlighting important parts the first time around and reading it 3 times (not consecutively) before big exams. I might use different colours to emphasize certain points.

I use that technique. Highlight first time by reading every page. Then second time around just focus on the highlighted parts. That way you have eliminated a bunch of useless stuff compressing it from 100 pages to 30 pages of study