One of the keys to having your notes organized is to make sure you're taking good notes. This means that you only write down the really important things and don't take down every single thing your instructor says (unless it's really funny, of course).Note down things that the instructor says more than once. Reiterating points is a way of highlighting what the most important material is going to be. Anything that's repeating is probably going to end up on a test or at least be important to understanding the class.
Be selective (don’t take down every single note): take down the main points of the lecture or discussion; write down examples or hypotheticals, especially in math and science classes.
A piece of information usually has a main idea and supportive details, which can also be very important, but the main idea is definitely something worth noting. In paragraphs, the main idea is usually either the first or the last sentence. In good presentations, the bullet points on the slides are often main ideas.;
, There are lots of different ways of recording information. You can use one style or a mix of a few. The mix is best, because usually you can acquire more information and in different ways.Handwritten notes work best for classes that have to do with: numbers, equations, and formulas–calculus, chemistry, physics, economics, symbolic logic, also language classes because helps you memorize/remember more effectively.
You can also record the lecture or discussion, if your instructor allows you to do so. This is great for allowing you to go back and listen to very specific parts of the lecture, although it can be harder to make information stick in your memory.
Make sure you collect any lecture notes and power-point slides that your instructor makes available. These can be valuable notes for essays and exams.
 There are different ways to take down notes, some of which are more effective than others at helping you to stay organized or get organized later. You'll need to experiment to see which methods work best for you.An effective method is the Cornell method of note-taking. On the left-hand side of the paper mark a two and one half inch column (6.35 cm). On the right side have a column six inches across (15.24 cm). You'll use the right-hand column to take notes during your class or lecture. After the lecture, you'll summarize your notes, designate keywords, and create questions about the material in the left-hand column.
A lot of people use the rough outline method. This basically means writing down the main points of the lecture or class (you can format them as a list of bullet points, for example). After class, write your summary of the notes in a different colored pen, or highlight it.
Mind mapping is a more visual and creative form of taking notes. You draw your notes, rather than writing down sentences in a linear format. Write the main topic of the lecture or class in the center of a piece of paper. Each time the instructor makes a new point, write those around the central topic. Draw lines to connect different ideas. You can also draw images rather than writing words.
Another method, known as Split Page Method, is more space-consuming than Cornell notes, but easier to study later. A page is divided into two columns: one for main and the other for secondary ideas.
 If you're storing your notes all over the place it's going to make it very difficult to organize them for exams and essays when the time comes. Don't just write your notes down in whatever notebook you happen to have nearby or you're never going to find those notes again.


On your computer, make sure that you have one folder for your notes from each different class. If you put them all together it's going to be difficult to find them again.
It's usually easier to store any handwritten notes in a binder, because you can add and subtract pages as needed without having to tear them out.
 A lot of people (especially freshman university students) don't realize how important syllabi and hand-outs are going to be. These have information you're going to need to know (like homework assignments, the purpose of the class, and so on).


These will also usually detail information about the types of essays and information you're going to need to know which can be useful for what kinds of notes you take in class.
Keep all the syllabi and hand-outs for each class in the same place as your notes so that they are easily accessible, especially when your instructor brings up information on them in class.
 You really do need to keep everything in the same place. This makes it easier for you to locate it when you need it. If you have a distinct folder for each class you will know exactly where your notes are.


Make sure you keep these different notebooks and binders handy. It isn’t much use to you if you don’t keep putting class notes in the right place.
The more specific you are, the better. This means that for one class you might create different folders for the different parts of the class. As an example: if you had a film class split into four parts, you might have a different notebook for each part of the class.
As another example: you have different folders for each section of the class (for Latin class you have a different folder for each different part of speech ).
 If you keep all your notes on your computer, make sure that even there you have separate spaces for your notes. You don't want to have to back through and dig through your computer files.


Have folders in those folders for particular information. For example: you have the main folder that's for your Ancient Astronomy class, but inside you have specific folders for the different sections of the class, as well as for the two essays you have to write.
As another example, you might have a folder for your research paper, a folder for your information about gender identity politics in your gender studies class.
 This may sound like overkill, but it can be really helpful for you to know what notes you have. You only need to cover the most basic ideas that each group of notes has (the very main ideas) but it'll make it easier to go back through it.


Combine lecture and reading notes into coherent whole. Figure out main ideas and how they relate. For example: if your class is about Medieval women, the main ideas might be about formation of self, types of writings, notions of autonomy and gender, and so on. You might show how these ideas relate to one another.
Make sure that you've covered the most important points, as well as the sub-points that support the main points.
 You don't want to have to keep trying to figure out how and where you recorded certain information. This will make your organization more difficult in the long run. If you keep to one way of recording notes and specific places for each class, you'll be much more prepared than otherwise.


Giving yourself some slack on organization will mean that you won’t maintain your organization and it will be more difficult come exam time or essay time.
Take good notes.
Mix different styles of note-taking.
Figure out which note-taking method works best for you.
Store your notes in one place.
Keep track of your hand-outs and syllabi.
Have a separate notebook or binder for each class.
On a computer have separate folders for each class.
Create a master outline of notes for each class.
Stay consistent.
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