IELTS Hacks: Effective Note-Taking Strategies

JRooz Review Center understands the dilemma of most students aspiring to pursue their career in an English-speaking community. It is challenging to obtain your IELTS score goal without proper training and lectures about the basics of the language especially if you are a non-native English speaker. This is the reason the IELTS review online was designed.

JRooz Online offers the best online IELTS course facilitated by instructors who are IELTS test-takers themselves. The IELTS review online program caters to students who cannot afford to squeeze in classroom-based lectures to their busy schedule.

As one of the best online IELTS course providers, JRooz Online instructors not only deliver quality one-on-one coaching sessions. They also give students tips and tricks to improve their learning acquisition. To aid your online review course, here are some effective note-taking strategies that you can employ.

• Listen carefully. The number one rule in note-taking is to listen with both your ears and mind. You neither need to copy everything that is presented nor write down every word that your instructor tells you. Be selective when it comes to details and jot down only the most important takeaway.  

• Take down notes in your own words. This practice is an effective way to gauge your learning. Paraphrase the lectures discussed and include your own understanding. It is easier to remember a topic when you understand it fully and not just based on how it was discussed. 

• Use symbols/abbreviations/visual aids. Develop your own system of taking down notes. Use mnemonics, visual symbols, abbreviations, from which you can associate a certain topic. Discussions are way too fast for you to keep up with listening and writing all at the same time. Once you developed your own note taking system, it will be easier for you to cope with the lesson.  

• Highlight key points. Some students use different colored pens when jotting down notes to highlight the important parts of the lesson. Others underline significant words or concepts or use highlighters to emphasize the most important points. It is up to you to determine which works best. The key is to find ways to help keep your notes from being monotonous to avoid confusion.  

• Organize your notes. One strategy in note taking is to leave ample amount of space per subject. This is to allow you to insert some notes whenever you deem that some points are missing from the discussion. It is also effective to use a different sheet for each lesson or create a division to determine which parts belong to a particular subject quickly.

Reviewing for the IELTS entails dedication and a willingness to learn and improve your knowledge and skills. Follow these note-taking tips to aid your study sessions and elevate your chances of accomplishing your IELTS score goal! 

REFERENCES: 

• Claire Brown Associate Director, The Victoria Institute, Victoria University. "What's the best, most effective way to take notes?" The Conversation. January 01, 2017. Accessed June 05, 2017. http://theconversation.com/whats-the-best-most-effective-way-to-take-notes-41961.
• “Effective Listening and Notetaking.” Accessed June 05, 2017. https://www.northshore.edu/support_center/pdf/listen_notes.pdf
• “Effective Note-Taking Methods.” Accessed June 05, 2017. https://www.svcc.edu/students/success/workshops-pdf/note-taking.pdf
• Jerz's Literacy Weblog. Accessed June 05, 2017. http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/academic1/taking-notes-5-college-success-tips/.
• "Note-Taking Skills." Note-Taking Skills | UNSW Current Students. Accessed June 05, 2017. https://student.unsw.edu.au/note-taking-skills.
• "Note Taking Strategies." Saint Mary's College. Accessed June 05, 2017. https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/academics/academic-resources-support/student-academic-support-services/tutorial-academic-skills-4.
• Santos, Diego. "5 Popular Note Taking Strategies—GoConqr." ExamTime. May 18, 2017. Accessed June 05, 2017. https://www.goconqr.com/en/examtime/blog/4-note-taking-strategies/.