Taking notes in a traditional way with a pen and notebook may seem to be an old-school method. However, note taking methods are still an important part of learning as they always have been.
Many students may shy away from learning note taking methods and active note taking in class, thinking they can always recall later. This is usually not the case because note taking isn’t just for recalling information; rather, note taking is a very effective way to enhance your learning!
Notes are a reference for later use, like files inside your computer. Students and professionals can use this information to build newer links, improve understanding, and also generate a visual map of information. Let’s take a look at different note taking methods
Types of notes
Shorthand is a quick and fast method of taking notes in class. Make your own symbols using arrows, bullets, abbreviations and more!
Sketch notes use a mix of drawings, writings, and doodling.
Longhand notes are written notes in points or details.
Laptop notes are simply what the term suggests: notes typed up on a laptop.
Note taking benefits
Here are some note taking benefits and how it can help you get top marks.
#1 You will never miss a point
Even the most brilliant minds forget! Note taking and memory are not at odds; rather note taking will only help you improve your memory! So you will never miss a point if you keep a diary or a notebook with you.
#2 Better marks with notes? It is proven!
“Those who took notes in longhand, and were able to study, did significantly better than any of the other students in the experiment — better even than the fleet typists who had basically transcribed the lectures”, writes Derek Bruff of Agile Learning about an experiment on learning by Mueller & Oppenheimer, 2014.
Bruff is an educator and education consultant with decades of experience. In the researched reference, he writes that [the students who did better] “took fewer notes overall with less verbatim recording, but they nevertheless did better on both factual learning and higher-order conceptual learning.”
So if you can take notes using fewer words and review your notes afterwards, you can do much better than those who don’t take notes!
#3 Distracted or bored in classes? Take notes.
While everyone yawns and looks at the clock, waiting for the class to end, you can stay active and sharp by taking notes. And when you will be tested on the same class later on, everyone will be asking for your notes!
One of the note taking skills is that you become a very attentive and active listener. Also it gives you the skill of thinking about several things at the same time, thus increasing your focus and multi tasking ability. It is beneficial for students to take notes in shorthand writing or points.
#4 Improve your organisation skills
Note taking skills enhance your organisation abilities. Notes can not only look beautiful but also serve the purpose of increasing your organisation skills. The creativity behind notes makes you fond of your own notes!
How to start? Get two or three coloured pens, a highlighter, and some post-it notes. You can create colour coded notes like this but there is more to it: When you take notes you are prioritising content. You write notes according to their importance and skip unnecessary details.
#5 Note taking is rewarding but it takes time!
Organised notes take time to write and are not a hasty effort at all! If you come across students who are in A* bands, you will find out that some students spend nearly 40 hours/week on each subject just to write the notes.
There won’t be a shortcut to success! Once you are on the summit, you will realise that it was worth all the long hours of note taking and practice.
#6 Quick reference? Check notes.
Notes are your default preparation for exams. Whenever you will need a quick reference after class, notes will be there for you. Note taking is almost never going to waste (unless you don’t need notes anymore after a certain semester or class is over).
Vanderbilt Center for Teaching highlights that reviewing notes is very effective for factual recall. In fact, the main outcome of note taking is the student’s ability to recall information and pull references from to write in an exam or a test.
#7 Summary writing at its best
Students who take good notes are always good at summarising concepts! That’s because the condensed form of notes is a concise way of explaining and understanding.
Good note takers are usually able to recall and connect necessary information for a presentation or a speech. In other words, note taking is a skill that is applicable to other aspects of learning as well.
#8 Identify main and supporting ideas
If your purpose is to prepare notes for an essay which will require you to write a thesis statement and provide evidence to support your answer, then it is best to take detailed notes, as opposed to summarising ideas.
The detailed notes can also be provided by the teacher and are proved to be equally beneficial for essay and inquiry based learning. Papers on history, sociology, psychology and alike, usually require critical thinking and application.
Detailed note taking is an excellent way to record and identify main and supporting points. It becomes easier for you to extend these notes into writing larger paragraphs and answers.
#9 Use sketchnotes to use double brain power!
One of the study notes tips is to use sketchnotes.
Mike Rohde, the author of The Sketchnotes Handbook points out that the practice of sketchnoting is supported by cognitive science, particularly dual coding theory. Our brains process verbal and visual information using separate “channels.”
Bruff suggests that “taking text notes is a bit like using half your brain power. Capturing ideas in both words and pictures uses more of your brain, helping you better understand and remember those ideas.”
So, would you like to use double brain power? Sketchnotes are an excellent way to start working out the brain muscles like never before.
Laptop notes vs longhand for multitasking
Longhand note takers are more likely to multitask. They listen, summarise, draw, doodle – all at the same time.
Want to compare with laptop notes? Bruff points out that a 2012 study by researchers showed that students who “multitasked” on their laptops during lecture fared worse on a test of comprehension immediately following the lecture.
There is more: research suggests that laptop usage in a classroom to take notes creates a “cone of distraction” and all the students sitting behind the laptop note taker are also distracted.
Cell phone notes vs longhand notes
Educationists have investigated cell phone use by students through in-class observations, student surveys, and some interviews with students. One of their findings was that there was a significant negative correlation between cell phone use and final grades. (Duncan, Hoekstra, and Wilcox 2012)
So, are you planning to switch off your cell phone in the next class? (Even if you already don’t use a cell phone in class, you can gauge the positive impact of longhand notes on final grades!)
Note taking methods
If you want to use a tried and tested method of taking down notes, you can adopt the Cornell method, one of the note taking methods.
Developed by Walter Pauk in 1950, the Cornell method is a systematic method of condensing and organising notes into columns. The note page is divided into two columns. One column for notes is large and usually on the right side of the page. The other column on the left is narrower and meant for keywords.
Another variation of this method is the three column method which has space for teachers’ notes as well.
Share the takeaways with friends
Educationists, teachers, and consultants all agree on the benefits of note taking in classes. We have also learned how longhand is preferred over laptop or phone notes. The grades improve significantly and students also learn lifelong skills through note taking.
If you are a note taker, what are the benefits that you have experienced? Which one is your favourite from the study notes tips? Would you like to share your answer on Noon Academy’s discussion boards?
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