Listen Critically and with an Open Mind

Listening in class is different from listening to a TV show, listening to a friend, or even listening during a meeting. In such everyday activities, you might not be required to remember or use the information you hear. Knowing how to listen in class can help you get more out of what you hear, understand better what you have heard, and save time. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Be ready for the message. Prepare yourself to hear, to listen, and to receive the message. If you have done the assigned reading, you will already know details from the text, so you can focus your notes on key concepts from the lecture. You will also notice information that the text does not cover, and you will be prepared to pay closer attention when the instructor presents new material.
  2. Listen to the main concepts and central ideas, not just to facts and figures. Although facts are important, they will be easier to remember and will make more sense when you can place them within concepts, themes, and ideas.
  3. Listen for new ideas. Even if you are an expert on a topic, you can still learn something new. Do not assume that college instructors will present the same information you learned in a similar course in high school. Even if you listen to the same lecture multiple times, if you pay attention, you will be able to pick out and learn new information each time. As an engaged student, make a note of questions in your mind as you listen, but save the judgments for later.
  4. Repeat mentally. Words can go in one ear and out the other unless you make an effort to remember them. Think about what you hear, and say it silently in your own words. If you cannot translate the information into your own words, ask the instructor for more explanation.
  5. Decide whether what you have heard is unimportant, somewhat important, or very important. While most of what your instructors say and do in class is important, occasionally they may make comments or tell stories that are only somewhat related to the class material, or may not be related at all. If an instructor’s comment is really unrelated to the focus of the class, you don’t need to write it down. If it’s very important, make it a major point in your notes by highlighting or underlining it, or use it as a major topic in your outline if that’s the method you use for taking notes. If it’s somewhat important, try to relate it to a very important topic by writing it down as a part of that topic.

Balancing Sports and Study

Are you a student athlete? If so, you might find that it’s tough to balance the demands of team practice and games with being a good student. To keep up with your studies, you’ll need to go to every class and take advantage of all the academic help available to you through the athletic department and other campus resources. Whatever your athletic goal might be—whether it is to play on a professional team or just enjoy your sport as a college student—keep your eyes on the prize: a college degree.

  1. Keep an open mind. Every class holds the promise of letting you discover new ideas and uncover different opinions. Some instructors might intentionally present information that challenges your ideas and values. College is supposed to teach you to think in new ways and train you to provide support for your own beliefs. Instructors want you to think for yourself; they don’t necessarily expect you to agree with everything they or your classmates say. However, if you want people to respect your values and ideas, you must show respect for theirs by listening to what they say with an open mind.
  2. Ask questions. Early in the term, determine whether your instructor wants you to ask questions during the lecture. Some instructors prefer that students ask their questions after the lecture, during separate discussion sections, labs, or office hours. If your instructor answers questions when students ask them, speak up if you did not hear or understand what was said. Ask for explanations immediately, if possible; other students are likely to have the same questions. If you can’t hear another student’s question or response, ask him or her to repeat the question.
  3. Sort, organize, and categorize. When you listen, try to match what you are hearing with what you already know. Take an active role in deciding how best to remember what you are learning. If you find yourself daydreaming during a lecture, quickly refocus your thoughts on the topic and actively take notes. After class or during your instructor’s next office hours, ask him or her to help you fill in any gaps in your notes.