Unable to take notes

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I can't take notes during lectures at all. I have no idea what I'm supposed to write down, and when I'm trying to write something down I can only write the first ~1-2 words of every sentence, and that's for like 1 out of 5 sentences said.

Also, I usually can't connect the information which is given in an oral form; sometimes I capture tiny details, but most of the information is lost. And when we're supposed to work on some project, I'm usually lost - I usually hold the handed out document in my hand, feeling confused, hearing various information and unable to connect it at all. I also feel very stressed during such situations. I can see the professor showing something, all the students doing something, the computer screen, my document; and everything is confusing, and nothing makes sense.
I end up staying immobile, not even knowing what we're working on (I'm not exaggerating).

However, when everything is presented in a text form, and it doesn't require any additional "factors" (my professor's explanation, computer software, conducing an experiment myself, etc.) I understand everything just fine, and usually get very good grades.

Is this related to my Asperger's? Or is it something else which I should seek testing for?

Okay, one thing, since you can understand from text just fine, play to strength. Pre-study. Try to stay, say, 10 pages ahead of the professor in the book. Even if you're behind in a class, go ahead and jump ahead.

Hopefully, you will then often be like a seasoned baseball manager. Even though each game is a little different, you know the terrain.

The problem is, the textbook material doesn't exactly correspond to the lesson most of the time.

And not to mention, I usually have no idea which topics had been touched; so I usually have no idea what to study.

You can get help from a notetaker. These people are hired by the college to type notes for students who have a disability or learning disability. They come to the lecture with a laptop, take notes, and then print them up for you.

You can also go to your professor and see if he/she has a print version of their lecture. And yes, this is part of the Asperger's...I had a terrible time with it. Staying a chapter ahead in reading the text will help you a lot. The professor should have a syllabus, a timeline of what chapters or topics will be handled each week, when quizzes and tests will be, etc. This can be used to study ahead in anticipation of what he or she will be lecturing on.

Both of these are good ideas. And the professor really ought to be providing online notes anyway, for the benefit of every student who's not an auditory learner. Professors are sometimes open to suggestions and sometimes they're not and that's just the fact of the matter.

Okay, as far as going the formal path, in high school, you get an IEP. In college, you go through disABLED Student Services.

Now, if you're proudly self-diagnosed, as I am, this may or may not work.

I like peace activism and politics. Sometimes at public speeches I'll take messy notes, mainly just for the purpose of staying alert. But if I look at them within the next day, it kind of refreshes my memory.

So, what if, in zen like fashion, you allow your notes to remain messy and incomplete, that you go with the flow in this regard. And then, perhaps at the beginning of the next class, you skim through these circling things you may want to look up further?

Adding to what others have said... If you sign up for your college disabled students program you can record your lectures then listen to it later in a quiet place. You should insist that the teacher give you a timeline of the course with a specific break down of dates and what is due on those dates.

I have the same problem as you. Part of it is all of the noise around me pulling my attention away and part of it is a problem with multitasking.

The problem is, my notes are so incomplete that it's very hard to even call them "notes". They lack entire sub-topics, they mostly consist of the first 1-2 words of every sentence.

They look something like this:

"Only if



Very important, because,



This can be solved by substituting


As we've already seen, these differential equations have two
"


It's virtually impossible to even deduce the sub-topics. Whenever I start writing a sentence, five new ones had been already said. I can't really write down "the most important concepts" from a given speech as many people do. It's an impossible task for me, unless the speech is incredibly slow, and is repeated several times.

My psychologist said that he's going to provide the papers needed for it, as well as do further testing. However, he had also said that my professor's opinion, as well as a doctor's opinion is needed in a written form. I'm not from the US, so the disability program system might be different here.

I had this difficulty at university too - perhaps less severely than you from your description, but certainly to the extent that I found note-taking almost impossible and had difficulty understanding information given at lectures very well. I often had very little idea of what I was supposed to be doing until I was able to go away and read the assignment online by myself. I have a lot of difficulty with verbal instructions. I often skipped lectures because they did not help me very much and had to do most of my studying by myself outside of class.

The good news is that you have a good understanding of what the problem is (which I didn't until after I left and just muddled along as best I could). Please take advantage of the help which is available to you. Write down the exact difficulties you have and take them along to discuss with an advisor. It is their job to offer you support.

I had that same problem in school too.

I had a MAJOR issue with this!

My executive functioning is AWFUL.

I have no idea how I got my degree apart from that I thankfully am intelligent. I heard between 10-25% of each lecture, never took notes, rarely handed my assignments up on time....

The only way I passed was to cram right before each exam. I rarely did any of the readings. I was never social with anyone either so they couldnt help me.

I didn't go to all my lectures, especially if I couldn't get a park as I would have a meltdown about it.

I didn't know about my AS back then though. I wish I had had some help.

I have no advice for you. Apart from get good at cramming! lol And you can do that through your written notes, which you said you have no problem with.

Just work with what works for you - if you are getting all you need from your written notes, then don't fret about the lectures so much.

Also, these days people bring in devices to record the lectures on - can you do that then listen to them at the speed you need later on?

I would have loved to do this, but at the very first lecture my lecturers made it clear that the university did NOT allow this. I'm not sure why, but they were so impassioned about it that I had the impression a recording had got them into trouble at some point, and they said anyone caught recording a lecture would face serious consequences!

But if you are allowed to, it might be really helpful.

Analyser, I really identified with all of your post. My experience was identical.

I still do that.. if I'm in a meeting everyone else will turn up with notepads and I'll not bother, because nothing I write would make any sense anyway (mostly when I try I end up giving up and doodling shapes on the pad).

Luckily I'm somewhat competent at listening, provided it's a subject I'm interested in (if it's something I'm not, like sales figures or accounts I'll switch off and do something else, like browse the web on the phone.. that's got me into trouble a couple of times!).

Recording lectures is a reasonable adjustment for many students with disabilities and learning difficulties. Where I work, recording lectures is not allowed. However if a student has this as a reasonable adjustment, they have to sign a form stating agreeing to certain restrictions on what can/can't be done with the recordings. Not all lecturers like being recorded, for a variety of personal reasons, but they have to let the student do so. If you think recording would help, speak to your disability services at the University about permission to record.