Everyone has different methods of studying and processing lectures. Sometimes the way that you do this may also depend on the subject taken! But what is most important is that you have a way of keeping track of your notes, and where you are up to in a course.
Check out some methods current Electrical Engineering students have used to learn their lecture content:
"For me, I often find it difficult to focus for long periods of time. I like to watch the recording of a live lecture, as it gives me the flexibility to play, pause and rewind during content heavy sections of a lecture. For most subjects, especially MATH and ELEC subjects, I will write notes on a PDF copy of the lecture slides on my tablet. This helps me to write notes in the future if needed, and to reinforce the content that I am learning! Once I have finished a lecture, I’ll export the annotated PDF to my computer, where I can further distil the lecture down on OneNote. If needed, I’ll go back and rewrite proofs (especially for physics!) to make sure that I really understand the concepts behind them.
When I write my summary notes, I often will look at the course outline. I’ll try to make sure that the final notes I write cover all the learning outcomes listed there. If I’m missing something in my annotated slides, then it shows to me there is a gap in my understanding that I need to go back and address!"
-Matthew (2nd year)
"I try to stay on top of lecture content by always starting things as early as possible. This means watching the lectures as soon as they are out, then starting on quizzes and other homework without delay. The best thing about this is that even if I don’t get my tasks finished, my mind can still ruminate on challenging problems that I didn’t understand throughout the week. Then, when I come back to it to finish it off before the due date, my brain will have had ample time to process it. I’ve found that this also helps me retain information better!
I’ll also fill in my planner with important dates for the term, such as assessments, when they become available. This ensures that each part of the term is in manageable phases, and makes the inevitable things that come up unexpectedly to be dealt with without too much stress."
-Jamie (2nd year)
