- [Narrator] Taking notes is a key part of making sure
you do well in high school.
The information your teachers share in class
will show up on homework, midterms, and finals,
so be sure to pay attention.
In this video, we'll share six tips
to help you take better notes.
Let's get right into it.
One, get rid of distractions.
We hate to say it,
but distractions will ruin your focus,
especially when you're in the middle of a lesson.
While you probably can't stop
your classmates from fidgeting,
you can remove as many distractions as possible,
and yes, this includes silencing your phone.
Even if you have it on vibrate,
incoming notifications can still distract you.
You might think that you've only lost focus
for a couple of seconds,
but in that short amount of time,
you can miss something important.
You should try to be mindful of your neighbors too.
Clicking your pen might help you concentrate,
but your classmates won't appreciate the noise.
Pens like the Zebra bLen,
Pentel Calme, and Pilot FriXion Ball Knock Zone
all have quiet click mechanisms
that are less distracting than those on regular pens.
(pens clicking)
Two, use bullet points to organize your notes.
If you're a student, you're probably familiar
with using bullet points to take notes.
Those who aren't should note that this outline format
is a tried and true note-taking method.
It's faster than writing in paragraphs,
and it also organizes your notes at the same time.
To take notes using bullet points,
don't copy down what your teacher says word for word.
Instead, condense the lecture down to the main ideas.
Use indented bullet points to add supporting information
or examples that are related to the main idea.
Keep your outline neat
by using graph or dot grid paper.
You can also try paper that has tick marks
on the top and bottom of the page.
Some of our favorites include notebooks and loose-leaf paper
from Kokuyo and Maruman.
Mark anything in your notes
that you're confused about with a sticky note.
Ask your teacher to clarify right away
while it's fresh in your mind.
If you don't feel like asking during class,
write it down and see if your teacher is available
after class or during breaks.
You can even email them your questions
after the school day is over.
(bright gentle music)
Three, mark up textbooks with removable sticky notes
and page flags.
Unless you bought your textbook,
you're expected to return it free of writing or underlining
at the end of the year.
However, marking up your books is a great way
to draw attention to important information
for you to review later.
Instead of writing directly in your textbook,
use page flags like Beverly Cocosasu
to flag important pages and draw attention
to specific lines or paragraphs.
We also suggest writing on sticky notes
and attaching them to the textbooks pages.
The Kokuyo Tack Memo come in a variety of sizes,
so you have plenty of room to write.
At the end of the year,
remove any page flags and sticky notes,
and you will have a clean textbook again.
(bright gentle music)
Four, use smooth writing instruments
that can be paired with highlighters.
As you follow along during a lecture,
the last thing you need is a writing instrument
that skips and scratches against the paper.
Worse, imagine writing an entire page of notes
only for all of your writing to smear
when you go over it with a highlighter.
That's why we love note taking
with low-viscosity ballpoint pens
like the Uni Jetstream or Pilot Acroball.
Their inks flow smoothly just like gel inks.
Yet you can highlight
over them immediately without smudging.
And make sure you don't highlight haphazardly.
Watch our highlighting video
to learn how to highlight effectively.
(bright gentle music)
If you can't give up gel pens, don't worry.
The Zebra Sarasa Mark On uses specially formulated ink
that resists smearing under highlighters.
Just be sure to let your writing dry completely
before you highlight.
(bright gentle music)
Five, use clear sticky notes to trace diagrams
from your textbook.
Adding diagrams to your notes is a good way
to make them easier to understand,
but creating painstaking copies can take a lot of time.
Bonomemo Tracing Sticky Notes
are made of see through vellum,
so you can put them over textbook diagrams
and trace them with ease.
The sticky notes work best with pencils, ballpoint pens,
and permanent markers.
(bright gentle music)
Six, create study groups with your classmates
to go over the material.
It's always a good idea to study with your classmates.
For some subjects like English and history,
different interpretations and perspectives
can help you understand the material better.
For math and science classes,
you can share your knowledge of a concept
with your classmates and vice versa.
Add to your notes when your study group
brings up important additions that you didn't think of.
Try using a whiteboard to create concept maps
and organize your ideas.
You can even present the material to your study group
as if you're a teacher,
which will help you recognize
if you have any holes in your knowledge.
If your study space doesn't have a whiteboard,
the Gakken Write White fits neatly in your backpack
so you can carry it with you.
Just be sure to check the syllabus or with your teacher
to make sure they let you collaborate.
Some teachers won't let you work together on homework
in case you copy each other.
Do you have any note-taking tips?
Share them in the comments below.
You can shop all the items we mentioned
in this video at JetPens.com,
the place for stationery lovers.
Thanks for watching.
(bright gentle music)