I think we can all agree that note taking during classes and lectures is a key part of the learning process – and unless you’re lucky to have a photographic memory, it’s a necessity.
The biggest challenge students face is copying down the sheer volume of information that a lecturer is presenting you with, without missing anything and whilst still trying to actively listen and understand.
We’ve pulled together a list of the most common abbreviations and annotation tricks to help speed up note taking and make the process that much simpler!
approx.: Approximately
b/c: Because
b/4: Before
bk.: Book
C: (e.g. 21C for ‘twenty-first century’)
c.: Approximately, roughly, about (abbreviation for the Latin ‘circa’)
cf.: Compared to, in comparison with
cp.: Compare
def.: Definition
diff.: Different, difference
ea.: Each
e.g.: For example
fr.: From
etc.: And so on
i.e.: That is, that means, in other words
impt.: Important
NB: Important, notice this, note well
nec.: Necessary
re.: Regarding, about
sim.: Similar
s/t: Something
T.: Theory, theoretical
tho’: Though
thro’: Through
w/: With
w/o: Without
viz.: Namely, that is to say
v.: Very
vv.: Extremely
vs.: Against
ppl: People
res: Research
natl: National
eqn: Equation
ed: Education
dep: Department
esp: Especially
ustand: Understand
Am.: Morning
Pm.: Afternoon
asap: As soon as possible
Wrt: With respect to
=ity: Equality
evryt: Everything
infl: Influence
r.: Rate (i.e. birth r.)
devel: Development
expl: Explanation
trad: Traditional
cult: Cultural
instit: Institution
justific: Justification
nt: Nothing
lrg: Large
soc.: Social or society
Stats: Statistics
Am’t: Amount
educat’l: Educational
subj: Subject
cons: Conservative
ind: Individual
ckg: Checking
estg: Establishing
Expting: Experimenting
bkgd: Background
ppd: Prepared
prblm: Problem
C19: Nineteenth century; similarly C20 etc.
1920s: i.e. 1920-1929; similarly 1970s etc.
Ltd: Limited
max.: Maximum
min.: Minimum
G.B.: Great Britain
U.K: United Kingdom
Eng.: English
Brit.: British
Sts: Students
