Laptop or Notebook? Your school may have rules about laptops and devices in the classroom. Even if typing your notes is an option, consider this: There is some solid research that taking notes by hand is more helpful for learning and remembering information.
Put a Label on It - Some students refresh their memories by labeling each page at the top with the date, class/teacher (if from class notes), title/author (if from reading), or even important events of the day We do.
Number your pages even if writing by hand - Besides keeping you organized, page numbers go a long way to finding things fast when you're in a study crunch.
Use space meaningfully - Keep your pages organized so you know where to find what you're looking for. Of course, if you're done typing your notes you can always go back and clean them up later.
Use abbreviations or your own kind of shorthand to write quickly - Try “w/o” for without or “e.g.” for examples. If typing, get familiar with keyboard shortcuts.
Keep track of direct quotes, personal thoughts, and questions you want to be answered – For example, you can underline anything that is unclear and wants to ask your teacher about it later.
Use symbols - Try using an arrow to indicate important things such as teacher clues, what is important to study, definitions, and key ideas in a lecture.
Turn off autopilot - Be sure to include ideas in your notes that tie the details together. In other words, you should always make it clear why you are writing something.