Note Taking

[Abbey Brandt 1K]

For my own sake and that of everyone in this class - what do you find to be the most effective way to take notes in this class? Google Docs, handwritten, custom outline, whatever it may be - share it! Understanding what helps you all succeed will help us all understand more effectively and in turn perform better on tests!!!

[Sona Hakobyan 3J]

For me the most effective way is using google docs because when I hand write notes I cannot read my writing. However, for graphs and other pictures I like to draw them in my notebook and label them as figures in my notes. I do believe that if I had better handwriting, hand writing my notes would be the most efficient.

[hannahdaijo_4H]

Personally I prefer handwriting everything, even if it does get messy, because I find that when I physically write out notes or problems, it processes and sticks much better than typing something out and then going back to try to look at that. Plus, since most of the stuff in lecture is also in the modules, it's sort of okay ish even if you can't quite read your notes?

[Mariah Hill]

I handwrite everything too because I find it too time consuming to look for the greek letters on my computer in case we are writing down an equation or something like that

[Anna O 2C]

I have found that in general the best way for me is to take handwritten notes. I have several different colored pens that I utilize during class, and I switch between the different shades whenever we transition from lecture to explicit equations or from PowerPoint to hand drawn graphs/models. The colors break up the text for me and allow me to differentiate between different subtopics in my notes, otherwise they all seem to blend together for me. I also learned handwritten allows the info to go into my memory more effectively as compared to typing where I tend to absentmindedly type what he says verbatim, but that's just me!
After lecture, I like to revisit Dr. Lavelle's website and rewatch the lecture again and add on to my notes. I find that sometimes I am so focused on writing down the information on the slides that I miss key ideas that he says verbally! Doing it this way both solidifies my learning from that day's lecture and acts as a form of subconscious studying whereby I self check my comprehension as I relisten to the ideas covered. Hope this helped!

Note on using colored pens: I try to use lighter colors so that they don't bleed as much and reserve my darker shades for titles/headings.

[Sheridan Slaterbeck 1J]

I also find handwritten notes to be the best way for me to take notes. I am a very visual learner, so I often use colors too. I find that if I highlight "too much" information I tend to loose focus of what formulas and topics are the most important. Recently I have been actively working on only highlighting crucial information, as a more effective way of learning and deciphering what is truly important to memorize.

[Tuong Nguyen 2I]

This might sound a little unnecessary but when it comes to the detailed notes and jotting down key concepts, you could type them so that when you go back to study them, you'll have clean, neat words that fully explain the concept without having to use so many abbreviations and shortened versions of explanations. However, when Professor Lavelle gets into some worked examples, I'd say then you pull out some paper and follow those example steps with handwriting, since on the actual test, you'll want to be comfortable with writing those formulas and numbers down with pen/pencil.

[404536963]

For me, the best way to take notes is to write down the powerpoint and insert different extra notes he says in class. After class though, I find it really helpful to watch his video module (which is a lecture with roughly the same powerpoint) as a refresher and take any notes I missed while writing the powerpoint the first time. The most helpful thing I've done to prepare for exams and get practical experience from the lectures is to take the post-module assessments and to incorporate the questions into my notes. This way, when I'm reviewing, I feel like I have a better idea of what he could test us on. Hope this helps!

[Emily Orozco L4]

Handwritten works best for me because I feel like it helps to get used to writing out the notation as you would have to do on a test. I also try to make an effort of keeping things neat and spaced out so that when I refer back to my notes it's legible.

[FrankieClarke2C]

The most important thing to me, is not writing every single thing down. Whether you take notes on a laptop or on a notepad, filtering through what is useful and what is not is the most important factor in retaining knowledge.

[Nikitha_lakshminarayanan3I]

it depends on your study style. I see a lot of people using different colored pens to make their notes clearer

[Sophie Roberts 1E]

I agree that sharing this info will be very beneficial for all of us! Personally, what I find to be quite helpful is handwriting my notes in class, so I can include equations and diagrams, but when I get back from class I type up my notes that I had just wrote down in class. I do this so that I am reviewing my notes and the subjects we discussed and also to make my notes a lot neater and more organized!

[Jayde Felix 4H]

I feel like handwriting notes help a lot in terms of knowing which Greek letters and equation formats apply. Plus, Dr. Lavelle gives enough time on each slide to copy everything down.

[Joey Greco 1F]

I would recommend hand written note taking in class. For the most part this is due to the many equations and graphs that he uses during lectures. For me, writing equations on google docs is a hassle and not worth the extra effort when compared to just hand writing it inside a notebook.

[Lisa Werner 2F]

I prefer taking hand-written notes in class, then going over them the next day and typing them on Google Docs. This is a good review and also ensures organization, clarity, makes it easier to find a specific subject later on.

[taryn_baldus2E]

For myself, handwritten notes have been the most useful method that I have tried for note taking in class. By writing out my notes, it is easier to copy down any diagrams that I find important and note down equations. In addition, I tend to write down the things that are said that resonate with me or my own paraphrased versions of the concept, rather than copying down the bullet point from the powerpoint slides.

[Kaylee Kang 1G]

I like taking notes on my computer because it's faster for me to copy down some of the things said during lecture and put in diagrams I find online from his presentations!

[Chris Freking 2G]

Handwriting notes is very helpful because I feel that I comprehend the material more, but it's all a matter of personal preference.

[LaurenJuul_1B]

Personally, I prefer hand written. It helps me retain the information better. Also, I find it best not to just copy exactly what your professor has on their slides--making yourself write it in your own words/summarize it deepens your understanding and makes you think about the material.

[Sydney Tay 2B]

I find it best to take notes by hand because it is easier to draw diagrams and other visuals to help understand key concepts. Taking notes by hand also makes it easier to go back and add little comments if the professor adds any extra information. However, if your handwriting is bad I recommend taking notes on a computer so you don't accidentally read your notes wrong and end up confusing yourself.

[Sarah_Kang_2K]

I think it's best to take notes by hand, and then after lecture that night, re-read your notes and highlight important topics as well as read confusing topics in the textbook.

[allisoncarr1i]

I find it most effective to type notes in class so it is quick and can be accessed and sorted through easily on my google drive and then recopy the notes to help with retention.

[nataliefgarcia3I]

For me, I like to take hand written notes. Another thing that works for me is to use different colored pens to label certain things.

[Sarah Fatkin 4I]

I like taking notes by hand because that's how I remember things the best. To be honest though, it's a little annoying not being able to edit notes like on Google Docs and not being able to search things though.. so I guess it really depends on what is most important to you.

[chrisdinkel_4E]

Throughout the course, I have just been writing down everything that is on the powerpoint slides and some extra clarification notes from how he explains the concepts. This strategy will probably not work out well in the end because I have no idea to do the homework problems!

[Karina Jiayu Xu 4E]

You can also use an ipad to take notes. Goodnotes 4 or 5 are both really good for note taking and organization.

[Brian Kwak 1D]

I use an iPad Pro with notability for hand written notes as well as recording the lectures. After the lecture I take some time to review the notes and periodically try to retrieve the information that he covered in lecture and concepts throughout the week to refresh my memory and using my notes as a reference to see what I missed. I have a little notebook to keep track of the concepts that I am most comfortable with and concepts I am the least comfortable with and focus on those ones I am weak at.

[Sophia_Kiessling_2L]

I handwrite everything because I find it hard to remember stuff that I type down and its a lot easier for me to organize my thoughts on paper than it is on a google doc or something like that

[Edward Suarez 1I]

handwritten, mostly writing whats on the slides + adding on with my own notes on the side based on what he says that isn't on the slide

[Kaylee Kang 1G]

I really like using Google docs because it's fast and also, if there are diagrams or anything I can take pictures on my phone and then transfer it right onto my notes.

[Mona El Masri 1F]

I would definitely take handwritten notes. It is so much easier because of all the math and graphs we have to write out/draw.

[Nicolle Fernandez 1E]

Honestly handwritten notes are the best because one will need to put notations and sometimes google takes to long

[Christine Chen 1H]

Personally, I take notes on my laptop with Microsoft OneNote. I think that it's a lot better than Google Docs bc there are a lot of font options and it's more flexible/note-friendly. To study, I often rewrite my notes so that I fully understand the concepts and redo the problems from lectures. If you have an iPad and an Apple Pencil, Notability is a really nice digital note-taking software.

[Claudia_Danysh_2B]

What helps me a lot is actually listening to what Professor Lavelle is saying and then writing down my notes from what he has on his slides in a way so that it isn't all information jumbled together. I'll use arrows, bullet points, different colors, anything that can add more organization to the information and that helps me to have the information organized in my mind!

[Zainab Jamali 1H]

for this class, i definitely prefer handwriting my notes! the only time I type notes is when I feel like I will struggle to keep up with the lecture while taking notes by hand. for this class, given that it is recorded, I am able to pause at points if I need to so taking notes by hand is not stressful. also, with chemistry, I feel like there are a lot of concepts that are simpler to draw out or make a diagram for rather than trying to explain them in words and that is another reason why I really recommend taking notes by hand :)
if you have an iPad, goodnotes is the best investment you can make!

[Lindsey_Su_3A]

I usually hand write notes when I'm watching lectures and reading the textbook and then before the tests I'll make sort of a study guide with the most important equations and topics. This can help organize and clarify things because sometimes when I'm taking notes I don't realize that some of the derivations and stuff he does in class aren't super important to REALLY know, they're just for our understanding.

[Simi Kapila_3E]

I like to handwrite my notes, there have been studies that show when a person handwrites down information they remember it better than typing, which is why I prefer it. I also think it is helpful to mark areas of notes that you still feel confused about, to return to later and study more to better understand concepts you're struggling with.

[Yu Jin Kwon 3L]

I like to handwrite my notes because I'm going slow enough to the point where I absorb the information. But I think, either way, the most effective way to study for tests (which make up the majority of our grade) is to consistently practice all the textbook, UA, and Sapling problems.

[Mackenzie Fernandez 3G]

hi!

I really like handwritten notes. I have been using the same chemistry notebook for Chem 14A and Chem 14B so it really helps me when I need to review concepts that are present in both classes. I do like to print out worksheets from step up sessions and workshops though, because sometimes writing everything is a lot of work. However, I think it pays off in the end.

[Shivani Kapur 2J]

I personally hand-write my notes as I watch the lecture. I review them the week before the midterms and do the textbook problems.

[Katie Lam 2J]

I prefer handwritten notes because I feel like the information actually goes into my brain. Although it takes a little longer, I process what I am learning so much better than other methods! I also totally recommend Notability.

[connie ma 3G]

i take notes by hand. i think there's scientific research done on how taking notes by hand is the best way for retaining the information since you're taking the time to write it down and the concepts are going through your brain as you put them down on paper.

[Daria Obukhova 2B]

I prefer handwriting in pen because I find it easier to read and understand when I'm looking back at my notes. It keeps me focused during lecture as well. I think using a colored pen to write down the important vocab and definitions keeps it interesting, but I don't like to go overboard with the colors. I like to keep it simple :)

[Veronica Macias 3K]

I personally like to take notes on paper. I use colored pens so it is easy to see and color code certain things like key terms, equations and sample problems. The color-coding makes it easier for me to distinguish things and is useful when studying as well.

[Sheryl Ocampo 1D]

I like handwritten notes bc I find them easier to annotate and look back on, plus I feel like it forces me to remember more

[Eve Gross-Sable 1B]

I handwrite my notes for every class because I find that it is much easier to go back and flip through them (specifically for this class) when doing homework, plus it makes it more efficient when you're trying to draw graphs or charts. I try to take notes on the main points of lectures and specific problems and then before the midterm I go through my notes while looking at his outlines and make a concise summary of them to make it easier to study.

[almost_ethan]

I personally like to hand-write my notes, I feel like this helps me memorize things as I write them down. I don't really like to use markers and colored pens though-- I feel like that takes too long :/

[Stacey Phan 2I]

Handwritten notes help the most for me. Before each textbook problem section, I will review my notes and it makes the concepts and problems easier to solve. Definitely recommend an iPad if you can get it!

[Pierce Newman 1A]

handwritten notes are valuable because writing solidifies the info in the brain, but handwriting notes with the power of a surface of ipad pro is just next level. Have not used one piece of paper besides exams for the entire academic year and it works amazingly for writing on any document on CCLE that is a pdf, or even word or google docs. plus when the work is done just airdrop to the computer and turn it in. So nice! Goodnotes 5 is the notetaking app I recommend. If iPad/tablet notetaking isnt your cup of tea, I was a notebook handwritten kinda guy for all of highschool and that worked pretty well, just depends on what u have access to and what works for u organizationally. but honestly, I always have to say some form of handwriting is key!

[Eric Ngo 1F]

I personally really enjoy handwriting all my notes and trying really hard to make them look nice so I feel like I'm enjoying what I'm studying (even if I really really do not.)

[Brenda Silva 1B]

I prefer to handwrite all my notes because I am able to organize all the information in specific groups. When taking notes I take time to color coordinate so that it is easier for me to find what I'm looking for when I go back to read them.

[Katie Nye 2F]

I prefer to hand write my notes because I find that I memorize the information better if it's written by hand. i use one colored marker that I use to highlight/underline important things and box in the equations and then one black pen so that I can return to the important information while not having to repeatedly switch colors.

[Tatyana Bonnet 2H]

I like to handwrite my notes. I write down the notes during lecture and as for the textbook I noticed it was too time consuming to write notes on everything since a lot was covered during lecture, so I like to create little study guides/ cheat sheets of important equations and key concepts.

[Meredith2E]

I used to take hand written notes at the beginning of chem 14a and I felt it was helpful. Sure, I would have to pause lecture recording a couple times to keep up but it wasn't so bad. This quarter I started taking notes on Good Notes and it's so much easier. Any diagram we discuss in class or any pictures I want, I can insert it instead of drawing it by hand. And overall, I find it easier to keep up and stay organized (color coding etc.)

[Mahi Kabra 2F]

I think writing my notes down by hand really helps me retain the material more!

[Francesca_Borchardt_2D]

I used to handwrite my notes on paper in Chem 14A, however for Chem14B, I got an iPad and have been doing notes on Notability. I can say that I retain a lot more information when taking notes on my iPad. What also helps me is to write the notes in my own words because it helps me conceptualize topics better. Hope this helps!

[Gina Spagarino 3G]

I like handwritten notes and highly recommend an iPad (or any tablet) for them. It keeps notes organized and they are easy to edit, like u can write something and then relocate the chunk you just wrote, which is not possible on paper. I like Notability a lot and it is very nice to be able to have all subjects stores nicely in one app!

[Hana Sigsbee 3B]

I find handwritten notes are best for me and I believe there is research showing that writing things out by hand helps to commit it to memory.

[Anna Martin 2l]

I go back and forth for this one. Personally, I love to take handwritten notes simply because I feel as if it makes the information stick more and I like being able to draw diagrams or pictures on paper better. But, I think that notes on an iPad or computer, using apps such as notability, can be a great resource to keep all of the information easily in one spot. It definitely depends on what you like best!

[Brianna Martilla 1C]

I have always done my notes handwritten because I can format them the way I want and I feel like I remember things better that way.

[John_Tran_3J]

Hadnwriting is very efficient because it assist your brain's retention!

[Sahaj Patel Lec3DisK]

I use hand written notes that really do help. I wrote everything down on his slides, in addition to anything he says that I think is important. Hope this helps!

[Jalyn 3G]

I hand write my notes, either on paper or on my
iPad.

[Lauren Strickland 1B]

I find it helpful to handwrite my notes for this class.

[Nadya Higgins 3F]

I was writing notes on a tablet in the beginning of the quarter. I took a picture of the slides and annotated them with the things he said. This saved me time but I still felt like I wasn't learning. I switched over to hand-writing them with pen and paper and started to take the time to pause the lecture and write his explanations/elaborations; it's honestly helped me engage with the material a lot more easily.

[Britney Tran IJ]

ive been handwriting my notes

[Earl Garrovillo 2L]

I personally handwrite everything since it does sort of force me to think about what I'm writing. Also taking the time to maybe pause lecture and rephrase his slides in a way that I understand/shorter than what Lavelle wrote also helps me with learning the material. I also reinforce the lecture notes by taking notes of the textbook and sort of consolidating the information I learned in both to make a "master" notebook that's neater and more complete.

[StephanieGrigorian2J]

I handwrite my notes because I feel like it's easier and that I retain more information this way :)

[Nicole Critzer 2L]

I personally handwrite my notes because I find I retain more by trying to make them neat and summarize them sufficiently.

[Karen Zheng_2K]

For this class, I do handwritten notes on Goodnotes just because there's a lot of stuff that is easier explained in diagrams and drawings.

[Namratha Gujje]

I found handwriting to be the best way because I need to find ways to quickly write down what the professor just said or wrote down and in order to do so I must paraphrase. In order to paraphrase I have to have a basic understanding of the concept so that I can accurately note is down. You can't really do that on electronic notes because you can copy and paste things and because we can type faster than write we may not have to paraphrase.

[Danielle DIS2L]

I usually prefer handwriting because it makes me remember the concepts more! I usually write notes on my ipad to save paper and it is efficient for me because sometimes i can just a picture of the slides and annotate it!

[Sean Phen]

I find that handwriting notes is the best at remembering concepts. For tests, studying the homework problems has helped tremendously because many of them are on the tests. I am not sure how the final will be, but it is good to study the homework questions.

[Aydin Karatas 1F]

I took typed-notes for fall quarter to test it out but I prefer handwritten. Investing in an iPad for this specific purpose was worth it in my opinion. I feel much more comfortable with handwritten notes because of the ability to draw pictures, arrows, and other symbols with ease.

[Hannah Alltucker 3L]

I like to handwrite my notes (but I do it on my Ipad on Notability so I can move things around as I please). Once we've finished the section, I can go through and rewrite my notes/regroup them as I see needed to help me better understand the topics and to do a thorough once over of everything that I may need to know for the midterms/final.

[Violet Kwan 3H]

I prefer handwriting because the notes can have a lot of equations and symbols that, for me, are harder to type. Also, writing it helps me retain the info better. Like others said, using an iPad is definitely useful because you can insert pictures and have everything in one place, but paper notes are just as good. :)

[Sondia Luong 1C]

I use my iPad and notability to take notes for this class! I find myself writing down what Dr. Lavelle has on his slides and making notes about it as he lectures.

[RaniyaFeroz_1E]

I find that handwriting notes helps me retain the information much better. While studying, I go over my notes and highlight the important parts.

[TiffanyBrownfield 2I]

I’ll do a combination of note taking on Google docs and in my notebook. Most of the explanations and definitions go on docs, but when I need a more visual representation I’ll draw it out in my notebook.

[LReedy_3C]

Handwritten is great for me, because I can organize it how I want to and I have to be aware of what I'm writing. I also like being able to highlight past notes when I'm reviewing, and physically doing that helps me study more than on a computer.

[Isabella Cortes 2H]

I prefer to handwrite my notes because I feel like it helps me to remember stuff better than when I type them! Plus I like having all the diagrams and drawings alongside my notes

[Xinyu Li 1C]

I handwrite my notes on my iPad using Goodnotes. It helps me retain more information. It's also a lot easier to draw out diagrams and figures.

[Geethika Janga 1L]

I personally handwrite all my notes because I find that it helps me remember the information better and it is also easier for me to organize and process my notes that way.

[vuongnaomi1L]

I do handwritten and just copy the slides, then I make another set of notes that I personalize.

[Alejandro Gonzalez 2G]

I like to handwrite concepts and examples, so I can refer back to stuff when I do practice problems for the first time.

[505598869]

I use my ipad to handwrite lecture notes using notability. However, I do not feel like my notes are beneficial. I never really use them after I write them. I like the idea soemone else mentions of typing the notes and hand writing the diagrams and I might try that.

[Will Pham 1J]

I personally like handwriting my notes because I feel like I retain the info better than if I typed it. It's also a lot harder to show work for problems and equations typing than it would be to just write it out.

[Marley Magee 3A]

I always handwrite my notes while watching each lecture. I think you retain information better when you write it as opposed to typing it, and I also think it's really tedious to type out equations, subscripts, etc. on a doc.

[Presley Gao 2C]

Personally, in my own opinion, the most effective way to take notes in this class is to handwrite them, since for me handwriting my notes help me retain the information better than other methods such as typing them

[SahajDole_1C]

I highlight the textbook through my iPad and write notes in the margins

[Jonathan3B]

Just reading through the book and taking hand written notes along the way is great because I can always go back to any chapter or topic and get an understanding of what's going on. I wish I could type my notes out to save time but I just have to hand write them, there's no other way for me.

[Akriti Ratti 1H]

I usually prefer handwriting notes on paper, but using an iPad has kept me really organized this quarter! I use Notability and mark up my notes in different colors.

[alexandralopez 3F]

I prefer to do write everything down. When i type things, its really hard for me to retain information plus personally i feel like having notebooks is easier to keep track of and look through

[Margaret Wang 2D]

I find that writing everything down by hand on an iPad is the best way for me because it saves paper and it also forces me to concetrate during lectures. Although I don't really use the notes when I'm studying or doing problems because I use the equation sheet, it's still helpful because I think it helps me comprehend the stuff more as I'm more focused in class.

[Brian Acevedo 2E]

I choose to handwrite my notes on my laptop, typically using an application like Microsoft OneNote. To me, it combines the muscle memory associated with traditional notetaking and the accessibility of working electronically (and offline). It also can help to cut back on the clutter in your workspace since you don't have to worry about having to fit all of your notebook(s) and writing utensils onto a tiny lecture hall desk or small table.

[tholz11]

I handwrite all my notes messy, then transfer the important info in an organized fashion into flashcards.

[tholz11]

For me, the best way to take notes is to write down the powerpoint and insert different extra notes he says in class. After class though, I find it really helpful to watch his video module (which is a lecture with roughly the same powerpoint) as a refresher and take any notes I missed while writing the powerpoint the first time. The most helpful thing I've done to prepare for exams and get practical experience from the lectures is to take the post-module assessments and to incorporate the questions into my notes. This way, when I'm reviewing, I feel like I have a better idea of what he could test us on. Hope this helps!

This has been super helpful for me as well, I wish he had video modules for all the topics we go over in class.

[905409193]

The best thing for me is actually writing down all my notes, it's the only thing that actually seems to stick. I've tried typing when we were back on campus but ever since we switched to online, I try to stay away from the computer as much as possible.

[Angelica Soriano 3L]

Hi! I like to handwrite all my lecture notes and then when I review, I create a Google doc and type out all the important information in my notes so I have a place where information is easily accessible to me! It makes it easier for me to retrieve information as I go over each bullet point in his outlines. :)

[Alex Mele 2A]

I always hand-write my notes. It helps me remember the material!