Much of the information you need to know in college classes is given in lectures. One of the main differences between learning from texts and learning from lectures is that in lectures, the professor controls the pace. You usually do not have the ability to pause the professor, go back, or slow down, like you do when reading or learning independently. Recorded lectures, on the other hand, give you these abilities, but may not grip your attention in the same way as a lecture that is unfolding in real-time. Because lectures are such a unique way to learn and such a crucial key to success, it is important to use effective strategies to maximize your attention during lectures and your retention after lectures. Whether your professor stands behind a podium and reads off of a PowerPoint or leads a class discussion through Zoom, try some of these effective strategies to ensure you get the most out of lecture-based learning.
Before class
- Read
assignments and do problems before class, not after. Don’t be fooled by
the common myth that it’s not necessary to read before class if your
professor goes over the material in class. Reading the material first
primes your short-term memory such that the information you learn in
lecture is easier to remember because a) it’s connecting to something you
already know and b) repetition is often important for effective learning.
By reading before class, you can make better connections between the text
and the lecture, better identify the main ideas in the lecture, and
already have background on the information presented in class.
- Briefly
look at the syllabus to anticipate focus of lecture and learning
objectives.
- Review
your notes from the previous class. Taking just five to ten minutes to do
this will refresh your memory and provide a foundation for new material.
- List
questions you have prior to the lecture. These could be questions from the
previous class or from the reading. Listen for answers during the lecture,
and ask questions if necessary.
For live (synchronous) video lectures, technical issues can
affect your viewing ability. Check your Wi-Fi signal before the lecture begins,
and consider asking roommates or family members to pause any streaming or downloads
that might weaken your Wi-Fi signal. If problems persist, try closing out of
other browser tabs for the duration of your class.
During class
Situate yourself for success. For in-person
classes, if it helps, try sitting near the front of the class to stay engaged. For
Zoom lectures, it is important to find a quiet area free from distractions,
though this can prove difficult for many students. Try using headphones to help
alleviate noisy spaces. In both in-person and Zoom lectures, you can improve
your ability to focus by limiting use of your phone and social media during the
lecture. Research shows that multitasking simply doesn’t work, and it will keep
you from getting the most from your lecture.
Take good notes. It’s important to take good
notes during class to have a solid resource to use to study for exams and to
help yourself stay engaged during lecture. Check out our entire resource
on taking notes in class for specific strategies
and examples. For now, here are a few quick tips:
- Organize
your notes so that you can easily and quickly go back and find information
in the future.
- Focus
on the main concepts and facts instead of trying to record everything.
- Abbreviate,
paraphrase, and use bullet points to stay concise and save time.
- Record
questions or areas of confusion to investigate after class.
- Pick a
style that works for you and be consistent.
- Choose
a method: handwritten, digital, or digital pen? There are benefits and
drawbacks to each of these, so carefully consider which one works best for
you.
Stay focused. If your professor follows the
syllabus when teaching, match your notes to objectives and questions from the
syllabus. If you lose focus or feel lost during part of the lecture, indicate
in your notes where this occurs with a symbol (such as a star or question
mark). This will help you know where you need to follow-up and get help later.
For online lectures, try wearing headphones. You can also take advantage of
functions specific to videos, if your professor makes recordings available to
you. Use the ‘pause’ function, for example, to take notes and watch videos at
your own pace.
Actively listen. Your professor may give verbal
and nonverbal clues that information is important. Be on the lookout for
definitions, examples, lists, superlatives (“most important,” “best,”
“significant”), repetition, and voice or volume change. Make note of important
information such as exam dates, homework assignments, or study suggestions.
After class
Test yourself. Ask yourself or a partner
questions about the lecture and then try to answer them in your own words.
Research shows that students who engage their brains in asking and answering
questions outperform those who simply review their notes. Self-questioning is
an active strategy that allows you to determine what’s important during a
lecture and think about the information deeper and in different ways.
Create higher-order thinking questions to push
your brain to deeper thinking.
Summarize. Go over the main points of the
lecture in your own words. Explain what you learned and the main concepts to a
classmate.
Revisit your notes. After class, fill in any
gaps you may have missed during class and write down anything you didn’t get to
in class. Investigate and answer any lingering questions or areas of confusion
from the lecture. Reach out to your professor, TA, or a classmate or attend
office hours or peer tutoring if you need more explanation or
help. If the lecture was on Zoom, see if you can access a transcript if a
transcript would help.
Create a study guide. Write a new set of notes that includes key points from the reading. Start by listing main concepts from both lecture and reading, and then fill in supporting details. Underline important vocabulary and concepts. Look for and note relationships between ideas.