A while back I posted a question on what kind of school supplies people use for uni and one of the discussions that popped up was the use of notebooks vs. binders and I'd like some more feedback. So, for the people who've already taken at least 1 year of uni, how do you take notes and keep them organized? Notebook, binder or other? Similarly, what do you use to write your practice questions on?

If it depends on individual courses, I'm in Life Sciences.

Get two really big (2") binders.
Fit 3 courses in one, and 2 courses in the other.
Practice questions go on recycled paper that from my own recycling box which is really just the back side of printed out lab manuals. And they go back into the recycling box when they're done.

Clipboard for taking notes, binders at home for storing them.

Math: use notebooks (if the notes are written on the chalkboard etc.) this way you will have a collection of them in one place rather than the possibility of loosing them if you use loose leaf paper.

Chem/Bio: Binder because it is powerpoints...print them off before class and write on the slides

Basically...if the prof writes on the chalkboard--use notebook, if they have powerpoints use binder. (Just a suggestion).

Also for practice questions...I bought a notebook for each course and kept them all in there. First semester I didn't do this and I found that when I wanted to see a question I did before I couldn't find it etc...I think it is just better to keep them all organized, even though they are practice questions.

Also, what works for one person in terms of organizing doesn't work for another...it'll take some time to figure out what works for you.

I usually take my laptop to class to record lectures when the prof is okay with it because it did a pretty decent job up until now, but I need to upgrade to a recorder.

So this will be my set up for next year.

1. Recorder + laptop
When the prof talks especially fast, I tend to type. I also tend to type for courses like English. They're just very word heavy, and when your professor expects you to transcribe things on tests verbatim, it's necessary to write down most of the key words they're saying. I found this useful for Psych, just because it was easier to organize all the content together.

2. Slides printed off.
I usually print off my slides 2 per page, and double sided if the printer can handle printed paper being refed in. And I always get the same quip about wasting paper. I'm not wasting paper; I'm printing off notes I can actually read from and write on because I tend to write key points about what the prof is saying (which is usually good enough), but also go back, draw on things and make my own explanations. I also have bad eyesight and my hand cramps on smaller formats, so it works out pretty decently for me.

I find that if I'm especially tired and cannot retain what the prof's said, even with notes on my slides, I listen to my recordings again.

3. Supplementary notes (my own), summary sheets, and practice problems go on lined paper.

They are all packed together with Post Its at the top for dividers.

4. I need Post Its at the top of the page because then I put them into file folders and into plastic boxes I can seal, effectively creating a filing cabinet or banker's box of some kind. This way my notes don't rip out of a binder (no, the little white reinforcements never did work for me), and if I need to use one frequently, I just pull it out and flip through it until I'm done.

Until I'm ready to file the work away, they sit in folders. I need better folders though.

^ I agree with the 2/page slides. I see some people have like 8/page...it is impossible to write on them. If you have 2/page you can write at a normal size, write as much as you want, and see everything on the slide.

I just get 1 notebook per subject, much easier. If the prof chooses to use PDF notes, i skip class and study 1-2 days before the test/exam and make my own notes from their PDF

Also, I find it helpful to carry around at least 10 sheets of lined paper. Just in case your computer dies, or the prof decides that "I received a lot of questions about yesterday's lecture, so today, I'm going to spend about 10 - 20 - 50 minutes recapping what we covered last class" (all have happened to me). The lined paper can be helpful. Better yet, if it was a tricky topic or rushed through, take the previous class' slides to the next one.

4 pages per slide.
if you fill in the space thats provided by 2slides/page, then you're writing way too much, and missing whats really important.

I use one 1.5 inch binder for two courses. I never bring the bind to class, though. I have a folder that I carry in my bag with lined paper in it so I don't have to drag a binder that gets heavier with every class with me. I number every lecture at the top of the page so I know what order the notes go. Works for me!

notebooks are way better than binders. binders, i find to be, very bulky. They're hard to place on the writing slab/pad of your chair.

I use clipboards i think they are the best for me
it's small and doesn't take up space like binders and easy to carry around

totally depends on the class. being in anthro which tends to be VERY heavy on pdf slides, a notebook simply doesn't work.

i take my printed off pdf slides and some lined paper in a clipboard and then put that into a binder at home and because they tend to get VERY full - i just have one binder (usually a 2") per course. same for tutorials where we often have worksheets - clipboard with lined paper and then into same subject binder.

I used a 5-subject notebook every single term. I liked being able to have all my notes with me everyday (in case I wanted to do work inbetween classes). I was in Soc Sci, but it depends on your class/program. Some profs depend more on handouts and things like that where a binder would be more useful.

In HS I always used binders so in first year I decided to try out notebooks and I found they weren't much to my liking. I got a 1 subject notebook for Bio 1M03 and two 3 subject ones for French and both chems. I didn't even use half of the sheets in there and now I don't know what to do with the rest of the notebook.

I like having my binder with tabs for notes, assignments, labs etc. I take my binders with me to every class and I just make notes on line paper. Always works for me