Students: How to Improve Your Listening Skills to Take Better Notes



To be an efficient note taker, you have to be an efficient listener. Active listeners are shown to take the best notes. Students who give their undivided attention to a speaker can take great notes. College note-taking is not always easy. It requires energy and will power. Below we have included some useful active listening and note-taking tips.

1. Full attention must be given to the speaker.

Giving your full attention is not as easy as it may seem. The average human attention span continues to shorten, as new distractions present themselves all the time. Students that take above-average notes clear their minds completely during lectures so they can focus on what’s happening in the moment. They are active listeners that lend their full attention to the speaker. Do not assume that you already know the information. Staying completely engaged with the speaker ensures that your notes will be extensive and accurate.

2. Maintain focus.

Do your best to not let your mind wander. The information being presented may not always be interesting or engaging, but it is valuable to your academic career. Focus on the big picture and main concepts that the speaker describes. Record the notes in your own words once you have decided what the central points of the lecture are. Active listeners consistently maintain focus so they have a complete record of each lecture they attended.

3. Prevail over and limit distractions.

There may be a wide variety of distractions present in the classrooms. The air conditioner may be making a funny noise every couple minutes or so. Students sitting behind you may be having an in-depth conversation about something unrelated to the lecture. Whatever the distraction is, it is important that you overcome it. Concentrate on the information being presented and let your other worries fade away during class time.

Modern-age distractions may arise if you are taking notes on a digital platform. If you are taking notes on a laptop, then it is wise to not visit websites during the lecture. Surfing the web will disengage you from the speaker and their lecture. Keep only your note-taking app open during the lecture to avoid distractions.

4. Ask questions.

There is typically a significant amount of information explained by the speaker during a lecture. Asking the speaker for further clarification or explanation of a concept is acceptable and recommended. Active listeners do not assume anything, and they start a dialogue with the speaker if there is something they don’t understand. Of course, questions should be asked at appropriate times during the lecture. Confirming something your heard with the speaker is a good way to completely understand the lecture. Once information has been clarified by the speaker, then it is time to record that in your notes.

5. Listen for cues.

Both non-verbal and verbal cues should be detected by the listener. These cues may point to a concept being the most important or vital. A speaker may say, “This is a very important topic.” A clear cue like this means it is something essential to take notes on. Your notes will be stronger and richer when you notice verbal cues from the speaker.

There may not always be an explicit, verbal cue. Active listening involves paying attention to the speaker’s nonverbal communication. Pay attention to the speaker’s hand gestures, body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These nonverbal cues along with many others could emphasize how important a concept is.

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