Note-Taking [Strategies]

Introduction and Definition

Note-taking is one of the first and most important skills to develop for effective college-level studying. It is a process that happens in many different modalities and is a useful skill for any class you take. At its core, note-taking is taking information from often a verbal source and turning it into a written artifact.

Importance

Note-taking is an important skill to develop because most studying you do will be based on the information you record. Putting information in your own words is also crucial for note-taking. Information written in your own words is usually easier for you to understand and can significantly impact your retention ability. Other important reasons for having good note-taking skills include:

• Creating a written record
  • You are unlikely to be able to remember everything that is said in class.
  • Human beings forget things quickly, particularly when there is no recording of information.
• Choosing an effective method
  • Not all classes present material in the same way.
  • Knowing which styles to choose that match the format of the class will aid in better note-taking (styles discussed later).
• Reference for future courses
  • As you progress through your college career, many higher-level courses expect you to know foundational knowledge.
  • Notes you take in core and baseline classes can help with gaps in foundational knowledge or things you may have forgotten.
• Encouragement of critical thinking
  • Good notes should make you think about the information you recorded.
  • Think about the depth of knowledge you need for success in the course, based on the notes you took.

Examples

All students and all classes are different. Therefore, all styles of note-taking will also be different. This means there is not one, single correct way to take notes. However, there are some methods more commonly used. Some of the most common methods of note-taking include:

• Cornell Notes
• Outlining
• Instructor-Provided Materials
• Flow Charts
• T-Notes

All note-taking methods have their strengths and weaknesses. The merits and limitations of each method are described below. Note-taking forms are also written in their self-described method where applicable.

Cornell Notes^[1]

Cornell Notes were developed in the 1950s by Walter Pauk, a professor of education at Cornell University. They are a way to organize information, recording the most important aspects of a subject, topic, or theme from different perspectives. Cornell Notes usually take up a whole page of paper. However, the example below is a condensed version showing the Cornell Notes format.

Cornell Notes Strengths

• Cornell Notes thoroughly cover a topic, aiding in retention and thinking from different perspectives.
• Cornell Notes allow you to quickly scan summaries to remember a topic.

Cornell Notes Weaknesses

• Cornell Notes take time to master and can take longer than other methods.
• Cornell Notes may not be effective for a class if the professor moves at a fast pace.

Outlining

Outlining is a method that breaks down topics into progressively smaller sections or levels. Main topics, themes, or subjects start at the highest level, broken down into subtopics with increasing and more specific details. Outlines typically consist of an indented, bulleted list that can be represented through numbers, letters, arrows, or a combination of whatever you prefer. You can also customize your outlines with labels and colors to keep track of information.

Outlining Strengths

• Information can be organized into short phrases.
• It is quicker and easier to master than other forms of note-taking.
• Outlining creates an easy-to-follow guide for linking details to broader concepts.

Outlining Weaknesses

• Details can be scattered for a class that may require strong attention to detail.
• Outlining can quickly become muddled with too much superfluous information.

Instructor-Provided Materials

Occasionally, professors and instructors will be specific in how they recommend that you take notes. You may be provided with “fill-in-the-blank” worksheets for you to follow along in class at the instructor’s request. Other templates might also be provided to help you follow the structure of a course. In some instances, instructors will provide you with their notes, usually through PowerPoint lecture slides or another form of media. Remember that if an instructor is providing you with notes, templates, or other forms of information, they are doing this for a reason. Instructors know their courses the best and have likely seen students request the information in the modality they are providing to you. Follow their advice. These materials allow you to think about the content rather than worrying about writing down everything. If you are given resources, it is usually for this reason.

Instructor-Provided Materials Strengths

• Provided materials have been curated by the person who knows their class the best—the professor.
• Much of the groundwork in taking notes and keeping up with lectures is completed for you.

Instructor-Provided Materials Weaknesses

• Provided materials may lead you to be more passive than active in class.
• Provided materials could create a stronger temptation to skip class if you have the information already.
• Information may not be worded or formatted in a way that plays to your strengths as a learner.

Flow Charts

Flow charts are a niche form of note-taking, usually reserved for discussion-based courses. This form of note-taking is useful for keeping track of the path of a discussion and how topics and concepts flow from Topic A to Topic B to Topic C. The simplest way to use a flow chart is to start with the initial question of the discussion and draw connecting ideas as the conversation progresses. Note which comments are from the professor, which are from other students, and if anything is highlighted as particularly important or correct.

The following example flow chart demonstrates how someone might have taken notes over our discussion of flow charts and their benefits. The textual version of this visual diagram might be understood in the form of an outline:

• Core Topic: Flow Charts
  • Key Point #1: Flow charts are useful for discussions
    • Additional detail: Flow charts depict how a discussion goes during class.
    • Additional detail: Flow charts can show how concepts are linked together.
  • Key Point #2: Flow charts are a niche form of note-taking
    • Additional detail: Flow charts are useful as a study format. This detail might also be connected to the previous detail on how flow charts show concepts linked together.

Flow Chart Strengths

• Stream-of-consciousness note-taking is relatively easy as the structure of notes is fluid.
• Flow charts can support a visual understanding of information and conversations.

Flow Chart Weaknesses

• Flow charts can become easily disorganized if you are not careful.
• Information may not make much sense unless the notes are rewritten or re-recorded.

T-Notes^[2]

T-Notes are a structure of note-taking and doing homework applicable to courses that focus on problem-solving. T-Notes have a large “T” on the paper with the formula or equation above the T. In one column, explain in words what you are doing in each step. In the other column, solve the problem with the appropriate math.

T-Notes Strengths

• T-Notes allow you to easily capture what is written on the board by the professor.
• Separate columns allow you to follow along with the steps explained by the professor.
• T-Notes allow you to show your work and to figure out specifics to a problem, particularly when you get stuck and want to ask someone for assistance.

T-Notes Weaknesses

• T-Notes take preparation in advance to be effective.
• It takes more time than simply solving an equation without writing out the steps of what you’re doing.

Considerations and Tips

Questions to Consider When Taking Notes in Class

Am I prepared?

• Textbook Previewing: Taking 5-10 minutes to skim the textbook for bold, italicized, and underlined words, definitions, or case studies can help determine what may be important and covered in a class.
• Pre-Lecture: If your professor gives you material to look at before class, use it!

What do I write down?

• Writing everything from a lecture is usually a Herculean task and does not always help. Picking what to write down varies by class and professor. However, correlating information that is covered in both lecture AND a textbook is usually important. Pay attention to themes and include details that will help you remember the main topics. If you are unsure, ask your professor.

Can I record the lecture?

• Ask your professor before you record a lecture. If you are allowed to do so, it can help with reviewing and filling any gaps you may have missed the first time.

Does the material make sense?

• Can you explain the material you learned in class to yourself? To someone else? If not, it may be time to evaluate your note-taking process.

Can I summarize/synthesize what I learned?

• Can you condense the material into a three-minute TED Talk? If someone asks what you did in a class and what the main points are, can you tell them? If not, did you get the main points of the class?

Other Considerations

• Should I write or type my notes?
• If I write my notes, do I use one or both sides of my paper?
• Will using different colors help or hinder my note-taking process?
• Should I leave space in my notes, or along the margins, for annotating later?

Using Notes After Class

Using notes after class is the primary way that students study and learn materials. These are specific to notes, but the strategies involved overlap with Active Study Techniques.

Rewriting Notes

• Rewriting your notes can be useful for cleaning up information and organizing your thoughts.
• Tactile actions like physically writing notes are also beneficial to reinforce information provided in class.
• Rewriting notes is particularly useful if you take notes on an electronic device, if your notes are disorganized, or if your handwriting is difficult to read.

Reading Notes Aloud

• Vocalizing your internal dialogue assists with processing information in more than one way.
• Only reading words internally can cause you to misread, skip, or pass over information you feel that you already know, or view as unimportant.
• Reading information aloud gives you more focus on the content.

Mind Maps and Flow Charts

• For visual learning, creating information from notes that incorporate color, design, diagrams, and other methods, can help with organization and retention of information.
• Organizing information spatially can also benefit kinesthetic learning by associating motion and action with retention.

Combining Class and Textbook Notes

• Synthesizing information that correlates between a lecture and a textbook can help you identify which information may be vital for a course.
• In general, if a professor or instructor is willing to take the time to talk about something that can be covered in a textbook, it is important.
• You can create a comprehensive set of notes by combining both sets into one. Use a different color pen to denote which information came from which source.

Taking Notes While Reading

Highlighting

Highlighting texts can be good if the entire passage is not highlighted at the end.

• Use different colors for organizing information and make a key to remember what your colors mean.
• Focus on main concepts, definitions, and case studies.

The Summary Method

The Summary Method is a way to create a useful study guide while taking notes from textbooks and scholarly articles.

Summary Method Steps

1. Read a single paragraph.
2. Stop reading and summarize, in one phrase, what you just read.
3. Move on to the next paragraph and repeat.

Why the Summary Method is Helpful

• As you improve this method, you can read longer passages, and make your summaries longer as well.
• Yes, it takes more time, but the idea is to avoid having to re-read passages that you may not have paid attention to the first time.
• You get a tangible, textbook-based study guide out of it. For an exam, rather than having to re-read 200 pages, now you have 10 pages of notes that you can study and reference back to the textbook if you have a question.
• Taking notes by hand is also beneficial as the brain links a tactile function (handwriting) to knowledge and information (studying).

Case Studies

Case Study 1

Reba is taking a calculus course in college during her freshman year. She has not taken a math course since her junior year of high school and has forgotten some of the equations, processes, and formulas that she will need to be successful in the class. Which note-taking method(s) would you suggest that Reba try for the course?

Case Study 1 Answer

Reba might want to try T-Notes for her calculus course, as it likely focuses heavily on problem-solving. If it has also been a while since she took a math course, writing steps in processes may help with some of the foundational knowledge that might have been forgotten. Reba could also use T-Notes for finishing homework and problem sets as well.

Case Study 2

Marisa is a sophomore taking a second-year philosophy course. The course is heavily discussion based with no exams and free response papers making up a majority of the grade. Which note-taking method(s) would you recommend Marisa use for her course?

Case Study 2 Answer

Marisa should likely try flow charts to keep track of conversations in her course. This may be particularly helpful since she will not take exams in the traditional method but is instead being asked to write response papers based on class discussions. Flow charts would allow Marisa to see how the discussion traveled from topic to topic and help her keep track of highlights during the discourse.

Case Study 3

Michael is an ROTC cadet taking an upper-division environmental studies course that meets at 8 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Daily training makes Michael tired every morning and sometimes he misses class. Fortunately for Michael, the professor provided the class with his PowerPoint presentations on the first day of class. However, the professor also told the students that the key to success in the course is to listen rather than just copy down information on the slides. What should Michael do for note-taking in this course?

Case Study 3 Answer

Michael may want to print out or port over the PowerPoint slides to his laptop. Printing out or following along on a computer will prevent Michael from having to write everything down on the slides and allow him to focus on the presentation from the professor. Conversely, Michael could also choose another method like outlining or Cornell Notes for what the professor is communicating and use the PowerPoint slides as a complement to his personal notes.

Actionable Items and Application

• Practice a method you believe to be appropriate for the course you are taking.
• Work with your notes regularly, not just right before an exam.
• Get blanks in your notes filled in as soon as possible, before the next lecture if possible.
• If your instructor references a page number to review or an alternate source of information, look them up and add to your notes.
• Evaluate your note-taking strategy and change it if needed.
• You don’t have to take notes on lined notebook paper. You can use graph paper, blank copy paper, write notes using a horizontal orientation, etc. Do whatever works for you and your class.