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The Write Stuff: 5 Tips for Taking Better Notes

Whether you’re reading Cooper, attending class, or watching a lecture, taking notes is an important part of exam prep. Research shows that note-taking is an effective way to learn, digest, and memorize the material. In fact, students who take notes score higher on exams and perform better when it comes to recall and information synthesis. Not sure if you’re taking notes effectively? PTB has rounded up five tips you’ll want to write down.

#1: Add Some Structure

Be honest… Are your notes all over the place? It’s all too easy, especially with a fast-talking instructor. However, a little structure can go a long way in keeping your notes organized. Try incorporating details like headings, subheadings, and bulleted lists. If you can, prepare in advance and outline the Big concepts so you can structure your notes before you begin taking them.

#2: Make it Your Own

Being able to explain ideas in your own words is a key part of learning and building fluency. The same applies to your note-taking, too. Summarizing the material and writing it down in your own everyday language can help you better connect to the subject and help make the information feel more familiar. You can use this strategy retroactively, too. If you write down a textbook definition or take a note that feels a bit too clinical, try rewriting it in your own words using more conversational language.

#3: Use Shorthand

Taking notes effectively also means taking notes efficiently. Using shorthand can help you write down important information more quickly and concisely. Using common abbreviations for filler words is a great first step, but you can go even further and create your own ABA shorthand system. Try abbreviating or shortening terms that don’t have an existing acronym. Or, use symbols to indicate specific concepts (and maybe consider creating a key if you risk not remembering it all later).

#4: Color Coordinate

PTB is a Big fan of color coordinating when it comes to exam prep. Not only can it make what you’re studying more salient, it can also make it easier for you to find and review the information later. You may have seen the color-coordinated visuals in the PTB ABA Exam Study Manual, and you can use that same strategy for your own notes. Use highlighters, colorful pens, or sticky notes to designate specific Domains, related concepts, or key details you need to remember.

#5: Review Now (And Later)

While you probably want to wrap up your studying as soon as class is over, don’t switch gears just yet. Take a moment to review your notes immediately after you take them. Looking over everything while it’s still fresh will not only help you retain the information, but it can help you identify areas where you need clarification or more detail. Then, plan to read your notes again, when you’ve had some time to sit with everything. Regularly reviewing what you’ve written can be a helpful study strategy, especially if you’re taking high-quality notes.

The PTB Big Exam Prep Workshop has been expanded with a new October class. Go Big this fall with PTB’s most comprehensive prep protocol. Get complete TCO coverage with 6 weeks of mock exams, live lectures, study halls, and more.

Register now for Sundays at 10:00 a.m. PST, beginning October 19.

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Throwback Thursday: A Tip from PTB Founder Dana Meller on Decoding the Ethics Code

The BACB®’s Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts can be one of the more daunting elements of exam prep. However, PTB founder Dana Meller has some advice on how you can use The Code to decode ethics questions and make correct discriminations.

Get more practice with Domain E. Pop into a PTB MiniBig session for a Domain-targeted mock exam and a live 3.5-hour review with PTB founder Dana Meller, with video replays.

Join the next PTB MiniBig session covering Domains E and I on Tuesday, September 30 at 3:00 p.m. PST.

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Word of the Week: Extinction Burst

Check out PTB's official online glossary with 528 essential ABA terms. Created by PTB founder Dana Meller, MA, BCBA and edited by Tyra Sellers, J.D., Ph.D., BCBA-D.

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