Why You Should Revise Your Notes Before You Leave Class

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Taking notes, whether in class or in meetings, is a standard part of learning. Studies have suggested writing by hand helps you retain information better than using a computer, which is why you should only bring a notebook and pen with you to class in addition to (or instead of) your laptop.

But there’s more to effective note-taking than jotting down a bunch of bullet points. To be useful, your notes should be organized into topics and subtopics, with a sensible flow that you’ll be able to follow later. That’s why you should revise your notes immediately after class—even before you leave your seat, if you can.

What to do with notes after class

When you’re taking notes—whether typed or hand-written—you have to be picky about what you do and don’t write down, given how much time it takes to do so before the lecturer moves on to another point you don’t want to miss. This is great for helping you stay engaged with the class and think critically about what is and isn’t important, but leaves the potential for gaps in your notes that you won’t realize are there until later, once you’re reading them over. So it’s best to read them over right away, and revise them as necessary.

Marty Lobdell, a former professor emeritus at Pierce College who spent 40 years teaching psychology and study skills, recommends immediate note revision and expansion in his “Study Less, Study Smart” video. While the lecture is fresh in your mind, he advises, you should use your memory of it, plus your texts and other course materials, to expand on the notes you took down.

Rewrite them completely, adding key details to what you already deemed was important in class, including anything relevant in the supplemental materials. Doing so will not only make your notes easier to study later, but will help you retain the information, since rewriting them will be your first chance to review what you’ve learned.

How to maximize your post-class notes

While taking notes in class, it’s best to be brief and concise, especially since you know you’ll be expanding them later. You can use abbreviations and codes to write faster, as long as you’re sure you’ll be able to decode and expand upon them later. After class, review and edit your notes, compare them to your textbook or course materials, and, if possible, another student’s notes, so you’re sure you’re not missing anything.

While writing initially and when revising, choose the most effective note-taking method for your personal study style. The outlining method works best for recopying and involves putting general information on the left side of your paper and indenting more specific groups of facts underneath. For your in-class note-taking, consider the Cornell method, which requires you to write down quick bits of information on the left side of your paper, then fill in more specifics on the right when you have time later.

Whichever method you choose, don’t leave class until your note expansion is complete (or, if that’s not realistic, take care of it as soon as possible after class). Review your notes between and 10 minutes before the next class so everything is fresh in your mind before you move on.

Ideas for better notes and revision

Taking notes using an established method, like Cornell, is your best bet, since it gives you a little structure while you go. The way you revise them is important, too. I recommend reformatting them into a mind map. This is a visual representation of how concepts work together. Reminiscent of a flowchart, it uses bubbles, colors, and arrows to denote related topics and subtopics. Here, you can call on tech for backup. I like the Xmind app for creating simple, fast mind maps.

The benefits of revising this way are numerous. First, you force yourself not just to focus on topics and concepts, but on how they all fit together, which helps entrench them in your mind and enhance your understanding overall. Second, adding in some color or intrigue helps with retention, too. Third, forcing yourself to reformat the notes in a completely different way than you took them makes you think differently about them and focus on getting everything right.

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