Record lectures the easy way!

Whatever happens to the scribbled notes furiously taken down during a lecture? Nobody knows. And that is the reason why students now find recording lectures a better option than taking them down. You can concentrate on the lecture and not on your pen. Audio recording lectures is a better option but only if you get t right.

A lot of students end up with recordings that are hardly decipherable, and ridden with so much noise it can take every effort and waking hour, trying to make sense of the audio jumble. A few easy tips on recording lectures can help university students’ record lectures, without the usual apprehension that goes with it.

Ten simple ways to record clear sounding lectures

• If you have a few dollars to spare shop for a recorder with a background cancellation feature such as Zoom H4n.
• A high end recorder might be a little heavy on the pocket for students. Even if your recorder doesn’t have sophisticated features you could still cancel background noise by placing your recorder as close to the speaker or lecturer as possible.
• Check the recording capacity of the device. And have spare batteries in hand.
• It is important to dictate the name of the lecturer and topic at the beginning of the lecture.
• Inform your class that you are recording the lecture and request everybody to keep it down, and pray they do!
• Check if the device is recording every now and then. Tapes might get stuck and if you are using a digital recorder the battery might have run. It is better to be safe than sorry.
• Ask the lecturer to speak a little loudly if you are straining to hear what is being said. If you cannot hear it clearly, your recorder cannot either.
•  Test the recorder with your friends. Record from different distances and setting sand see what could work best.
• Remember to transcribe the lecture recording, or take down notes later on, repeated reruns can ruin your recording.
• Leave behind or switch all other devices such as ipods and mobiles. It could cause static and create disturbance while recording.