Taking Notes For History Class

Taking notes was always one of the most hated things to do in class for me; I'd have to pull out my notebook, a pencil, and be able to stay focused for 45 minutes to a boring old man who hadn't retired 15 years ago like he should've. But now that I'm a little bit older, I consider notes to be my very best friend, and have tried figuring out ways to take the most effective notes for history and all of the other subjects of education. I was able to shorten it down to 3 guidelines, that I assure you will help make taking notes (and paying attention, previously mentioned in two other HF posts) easier for history students who don't think they can do it.

1. Write Down Important Information

While for many history students this may be an obvious tip, for others it simply hasn't clicked yet that they're taking the notes for a reason: that you will need to remember part or all of this information for tests, quizzes, and even final exams for that semester (or trimester, or quarter, etc.). When a history teacher mentions something, be it in a lecture or in passing, students should be writing it down as much of it as they think is necessary. However, you don't want to get long-winded in your description; lectures don't wait for you, and if you take too long writing down a description for one thing, you'll be 7 pieces of info behind and scrambling to catch back up with everyone else. So, just paraphrase the information the teacher gives you. Things to include in your historical description are:

• Name (if needed)
• Relevance to Topic
• Dates

That's it. That is ALL you need to write down when taking notes in history class, at least to remain on topic for the time. It's always nice to go back later and add more relevant information, but if you have the important stuff already, you'll be fine. The only reason I know who General Burgoyne is is because he lost the the Americans at Saratoga in 1777; I didn't need to know anything more than that and I had enough info to get the question right on a test.

2. Write Neatly

Yet another no-brainer for some students, this is one of the more important tips: if you can't read your handwriting, your notes are useless. Even though you're hurrying to get out of boring history class to get on your phone and whatnot (oh God I sound old), there is no excuse to write even worse chicken scratch than what you call your normal handwriting to save time. It's a waste of the teacher's time to teach as well as a waste of yours for being there if you aren't going to do anything; take your time to write down a legibly as you can all of that important information, and we'll be golden.

3. Work With Classmates

Finally, students should use one of their most valued resources to take notes: themselves. There are at least 20 other people in that class with you trying to write down the same stuff. Some are the over-explainers (I was one of those), some are the illegible writers, and some take the best notes any teacher would ever see. In history class more than others, it's factored up to a ten; there are so many names, dates, and other relevant information that it can be hard for everyone to get everything written down. If for some reason you are any of the former groups, or even if you missed one part of the history lecture, confer with your peers for the answer. I've found that more often than not people are just waiting for someone to ask a question; once it is asked, they'll feel less nervous about asking it themselves. Also, copying notes has been a thing since education was invented, and as long as it's the right information, I'm sure the teacher could care less who came up with the answer and more that the students are learning. However, that doesn't mean you get to copy down homework; teachers DO care about that, and it will only hurt you in the long run. Asking for help with notes may be the difference between an A or an F on a test.

So if you're having problems with note taking, use your head! If you simply write clearly, and only get down the most needed information, whether by yourself or with help, you'll go far in history class! Notes can save your grades, and history is no exception.

-Pharaoh Noh-Tyep