How to take good notes in Biology?

[broken angel]

I am currently in Grade 11 College Preparation Biology. I am going onto 11 University Prep Biology in a week. (I'm upgrading my high school classes in order to go to college. These classes are needed for admission).

My current teacher is a really cool teacher. She puts up a lot of notes and diagrams on the overhead. Lots of information.

Problem is I might not have the same teacher next semester.

What are effective ways to take my own notes? We don't get any homework, just studying from the textbook and with the pages and pages of notes she gives us it's hard to effectively study it all.

[RDH]

As a former biology student here are my tips:
- Do a lot of listening - active listening. Then when you study your chapters, make your own notes directly from the text book. This way you can listen to the teacher and what he or she is emphysising (sp?) and you are not side tracked by scribbling.
- the class notes you do take should be short, sweet and to the point. Use symbols ie. =, >, <, delta sign, arrows, etc.
- if possible, copy down diagrams. It get you familiar with the kidney, plant parts, etc.
- For me, making my own flash cards w. possible test questions on one side and the answers on the other worked great. And most of my questions were actually on the test.

Most people are with audio learners or visual learners. These tips contain both.

Hope this helps. I did great in bio and all my sciences(3.7 GPA), and I used these tactics all the time.

Good luck

[larry l]

Listen well, learn your own type of 'shorthand', write down key words not whole thoughts then your eye will be attracted to those key words from your notes when reviewing the textbook. Don't become so involved in taking copious notes that the "what" of what is being said is lost in the furious pace of taking notes. Taking good notes is almost like 'automatic writing', your hand almost doesn't require your mind's eye. Takes practice. Besides the technical or correct names of things try to appreciate the harmony of one to another, in other words ponder "why" as much as "what", this will make an impression that you will remember without rote
memorization.