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Need some help picking a digital recorder for college classes

EQTitan

EQTitan

Diamond Member
I'm not terrific at taking clear notes when in class and would like to purchase a voice recorder that will have a good pick up range (voice), and also clear output.

It will not be in a huge hall/room (Community college for pre-reqs) but semi large rooms most with no sound absorbing materials (carpet, porous ceiling tiles). What info should I be looking at when reviewing recorders?

What are the benefit of using a digital vs. analog (tape) recroders?

Thanks
 
Why not just listen and absorb the information? Just jot down things you had trouble grasping and explore them later in your textbooks.
 
The average human being only retains 25% of what they hear and only 60% of what they read. =( the number are against me either way...
 
Digital is easier to edit, to cut out crap or to even enhance the audio (i.e. amplify, remove hiss) if you need to. Analog is less to worry about, so long as you take care of the tapes. I used to use my PDA to record lectures, but then stopped when I realized I wasn't actually listening to the lectures. Found it more useful to use written shorthand and learn from textbooks/study aids efficiently.
 
Seriously... if you focus on absorbing every word the professor says you're going to drive yourself batshit insane. Forget the voice recorder.
 
I don't have a particular recorder recommendation (I'd imagine any of them would probably work at least adequately). However, I will say that you should check in with the instructor/professor before actually recording lectures. Some don't generally like or allow the practice, and it might end up getting you unfavorable attention.

That being the case, as others have said, taking notes in class is really just a matter of being able to think critically on the fly. You need to process the incoming information enough to grasp main points, realize what's already been covered in the book, and what specific topics/key points are important enough to actually be written down. It's not easy, and it's a skill that you won't develop without practice. If you do end up getting a recorder, I'd suggest you use it to allow you to improve your note taking skills at home so that you won't have a need for the recordings after a semester or so.
 
I bet you $1000 that you won't use it after your first semester. I bet you won't even use it after the first two weeks.
 
I had a professor last semester that after lecturing for weeks told us that most of what he told us wasn't worth studying and wouldn't be tested. He just thought we would be interested. A lot of what a professor says is useless. Well, I found it that way at least. Just write down the main points and stuff you have trouble with. It probably won't be much.
 
Don't know about you, but if I don't furiously take notes during the lecture I don't gain anything from it. Note-taking forces me to be actively listening, using notes as later reference is secondary (that's what the textbook is for).
 
Originally posted by: coldmeat
I had a professor last semester that after lecturing for weeks told us that most of what he told us wasn't worth studying and wouldn't be tested. He just thought we would be interested. A lot of what a professor says is useless. Well, I found it that way at least. Just write down the main points and stuff you have trouble with. It probably won't be much.
Click to expand...

I have had a professor who did not even use a textbook. Everything we needed to know came from the lecture, so in this case recording (i.e. taking notes) what was said was essential to doing well in the class.

Hadn't had another teacher do that so this is an exception, but I guess what I am trying to say that the importance of the information given in a lecture varies. Still don't condone the use of a recorder though.
 
Originally posted by: PieIsAwesome
Originally posted by: coldmeat
I had a professor last semester that after lecturing for weeks told us that most of what he told us wasn't worth studying and wouldn't be tested. He just thought we would be interested. A lot of what a professor says is useless. Well, I found it that way at least. Just write down the main points and stuff you have trouble with. It probably won't be much.
Click to expand...

I have had a professor who did not even use a textbook. Everything we needed to know came from the lecture, so in this case recording (i.e. taking notes) what was said was essential to doing well in the class.

Hadn't had another teacher do that so this is an exception, but I guess what I am trying to say that the importance of the information given in a lecture varies. Still don't condone the use of a recorder though.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a really bad professor. Or a really bad student.
 
Quick side note it's been 10years since high school and I'm going back to get out of the rut and daily formidable grind of being someone with only a G.E.D. (no offense I know plenty of people make it where they are needed with a G.E.D.) and no real job skills (damn father never worked a day in his life; disabled).

I do plan on taking notes but would like the lectures available to me in case there are key points I may have missed, just being safe I guess.
 
If you are interested in listening to the notes there is a pen that you can use to take notes, then the notes are played back to you. I will try to find a link.

Here you go You might try this, then you have both options available.
 
None of the transfers I know used recorders in their CC's and they all had 3.5-4.0 transfer gpa's. It's unlikely that you're gonna take a GE class that has so much spoken information that you need a voice recorder.
 
Read the textbook before class, write down things that you dont understand. Go to lecture listen to the prof explain what you have just read, and ask questions about things you don't understand.

You don't need a voice recorder, you wont use it, and people will think of you as that guy with the voice recorder
 
Originally posted by: mugs
I bet you $1000 that you won't use it after your first semester. I bet you won't even use it after the first two weeks.
Click to expand...

That's what I think. Do you really imagine you'll sit through the same lecture again?
 
I think the best thing to look into are the iRivers. I was researching this a few weeks back and I came to the conclusion that if I am going to get a recorder that it will be an iRiver of some sorts with an external mic.
 
Just be careful. I believe you are supposed to have your professors permission before you record them. Some might not like it.
 
u think bill gates or the woz had to use voice recorders?
reminds me of people who get all huffy about needing a high spec laptop for basic classes.
the apple 1 was designed on paper!
 
i had a voice recorder. only class it really helped was math and history. you just have to come up with a way to synch notes to the tape.

they are great if you learn how to use it and actually use it.
 
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