How’s your BA going? Got any questions about courses, assignments, lectures, or readings? Feeling overwhelmed, confused, or unsure? Got your first A? Use this page to let me know – I’d love to hear from you.
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10 steps to a great arts degree
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Hi Rebecca, I enjoyed reading your book. After my first week of lectures I have noticed that the notes I made about the required readings before going to the lecture cover much of the same ground as the notes I ended up making in the lectures. Should I try to merge both sets of notes to make myself more efficient when it comes to studying later in the term or should I just be taking my notes from the readings to my lecture and simply filling in any blanks… Any advice or suggestions much appreciated! Thanks
Hi Samantha,
Congrats on getting through your first week of lectures!
It’s great to hear that you’ve been taking good notes while reading – that really is the best way of making sure that you capture all the information. You’re right, though – there’s not much point in noting down the same information in the lectures; doing so just forces your mind to stay in the realm of ‘info-gathering’, rather than moving more of a ‘thinking/analysing/questioning’ space. Take along your reading notes to the lecture and, rather than writing down stuff you already know, use lecture time to jot down new ideas that you have about that information – new insights, viewpoints and ideas for incorporating it into your essays. Jot down any new pieces of information that your lecturer gives you, alongside the perspective he or she offers on the readings and the thoughts that pop into your head as you listen to them. Anyone can relay the facts from a reading or lecture in their assignments – you should be aiming to question these facts, to compare and contrast them and to use them to support and develop your own unique arguments.
Good luck – let me know how you get on.
– Rebecca
Great, thanks Rebecca, I will let you know how I get on.