Many instructors use multimedia technology to enhance the effectiveness of their lectures. Several types of multimedia technology that you may encounter in the classroom or lecture hall are

• PowerPoint slides
• Film
• Audio clips

Using PowerPoint software, an instructor can integrate slides of bullet-pointed text with still images, audio, and video clips into one unified presentation. Multimedia technology can enrich your understanding of the lecture, but it also presents certain challenges for note taking.

• Note all points that your instructor emphasizes about sound or visual material.
• Unless your instructor directs you to copy something that appears on a PowerPoint slide, don’t attempt to duplicate these slides word for word in your notebook. This text is provided to help you take notes on what your instructor is saying and not as a substitute for listening to the lecture.
• Some instructors post their PowerPoint lectures on the course Web page before the start of class. If this is a feature of your course, print out a copy of the lecture, and take it to class to take notes on. After class, either copy your notes carefully into a notebook, or collect and organize the printouts with your additional notes in a three-ring binder.
• For still images, make a quick sketch with arrows leading from important terms to their place on the image.