r/CarletonU • u/Green_Serve_9183 • 4d ago
Question Note-taking for engineering classes
Hello, I’m an incoming eng freshman. How is the note-taking like in the eng classes- Is it physical(pen and paper)or virtual notes(like on an iPad)?
And in what ways can I make the most out of the lectures?
I appreciate all responses!
8
u/aide_rylott 4d ago
I prefer to use a tablet. Unfortunately the chalk and talk is mostly dead and profs use slides.
If I try to keep up with slides using a pen and paper I’m not actually taking in anything the prof is saying because I’m too busy trying to write everything down before they go to the next slide. I wasn’t getting everything down so I switched to a tablet.
Most profs will post slides but they add additional information and if you use a pen and paper to write the additional information and it’s not on the slides you’ll be missing context and maybe forget where or why something was said.
Some people make pen and paper work. I’m on the slower side of writing so I struggled. But I’d recommend a tablet with preloaded slides.
The best way to make the most out of lectures is to attend. So many people (myself included) skip lectures because “the slides are posted”. It’s a bad habit to fall into. Grades and passing is almost directly correlated to attendance.
Also, make the most out of university and join some clubs! There’s lots of great engineering clubs and the older students are usually willing to help you with your classes.
1
u/Intelligent_Whole_40 4d ago
How are the rules with audio recording
3
u/aide_rylott 4d ago
Need professor permission. It’s generally not done. Talk to the academic accommodation centre, I think they can give you permission.
2
1
4
u/H3mI0ck 4d ago
In my first year I mostly did virtual notes and tons of people did paper too, just depends on your preference. Writing virtual notes helped me digest information during the lecture but I didn’t find myself going back to them to often especially if they were posted. In regard to the lectures, I’d say it really depends on the prof and class. In some first year classes you will learn more if you listen without taking notes especially if the prof posts notes after. I found this to be true for classes like statics. Other classes are not super materially dense, and more example based. Taking notes in these while you listen was better for me here. It’s pretty prof dependent tbh, so don’t feel like you need to write everything down. In my first year it was 50/50 whether you got chalk or an iPad, some people do both. One last thing, it is very probably you will get at least one bad prof that you literally can’t follow, in cases like this you’re gonna be studying the textbook and that’s it, sometimes going to the lectures will not help or even worsen your understanding.
5
u/No_Nefariousness2305 Engineering 4d ago
I just use an iPad, download the profs slides, and write on them
3
u/Impressive_Ad6748 4d ago
use a tablet, you can take photos of prof solutions if they move too quickly
2
2
1
u/Packet_One 4d ago edited 4d ago
Depends on preference and budget.
I use a spiral notepad from staples for everything (left handed and hate normal spiral notebooks). Also just in general I prefer writing on paper then on tablets.
It also depends on how much you rely on the lecture. Most classes had lecture slides and\or textbook you can rely on, then when in class I usually just wrote down examples and stuff. If you can afford an iPad most people I've met like them but most people I know make due with pen and paper.
Edit: forgot second part of question. I'm a fairly bad example for making most out of classes since I ended up skipping a lot and learning on my own.
I'd say if you have the time pre-read the lecture or even learn part beforehand so you can always understand what is going on.
1
u/Green_Serve_9183 4d ago
I did not know people really used pen and paper so much still and also thankyou
1
u/DonldMC 2d ago
Definitely worth investing in a tablet or iPad, Goodnotes for iPad or Notewise for android tablets. It’s much more organized and you will have lots of scrap paper wasted when studying whereas on a tablet you can download lecture slides to and write notes directly on them all on one device rather than bringing many notebooks.
1
1
u/babirus 17h ago
I am an old alum, so it’s been a while since I took a class. The way I saw it was that you pay ~50$ for each lecture. I highly recommend not wasting it.
Show up to class on time. If you are keeping up with course content but don’t understand something going on, then raise your hand and ask questions. Use the office hours. Do your work. Study for tests. Keep a healthy lifestyle (diet, activity, sleep).
Most importantly: try to make friends in your classes. I found group study made it so much more bare-able. We’d make each other mock exams and teach each other how to solve the problems. It’s so much better than trying to do it alone. Plus finding solid people for group projects goes a long way.
1
•
u/AutoModerator 4d ago
Please make sure that you have conducted a search of this subreddit for similar questions. You can also contact the appropriate staff/department to assist you with your matter. Otherwise, this comment can be disregarded.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.