How to Take Good Notes

A key to doing well in school is taking good notes. BASIS students have to take many notes every day. As an eighth grader I’ve learned several tips for taking neat notes. First, use shorthand instead of writing everything on the board. You should also write down any side notes the teacher adds. You can also write notes in your own words along with the teacher’s notes to help you remember what you learned in class. Another tip is to make sure your notes are organized. Try to keep all your notes in a spiral or composition notebook instead of using loose-leaf paper. Having all your notes in one place will make it easier to study for a test or quiz. A third tip is to color-code your notes. Try highlighting important topics or using a colored pen for your topic titles, but remember not to use too much color. Lastly, you want to make sure your notes are neat. You can do so by using the outline format for your notes. If you’re writing in pen and you mess up, use white out or simply cross out the mistake with one line to keep your notes neat. Having tidy notes will help you greatly when doing homework or studying.