There are various forms of taking notes, and which one you choose depends on both your personal style and the instructor’s approach to the material. Each can be used in a notebook, index cards, or in a digital form on your laptop.
No specific type is good for all students and all situations, so we recommend that you develop your own style, but you should also be ready to modify it to fit the needs of a specific class or instructor.
To be effective, all of these methods require you to listen actively and to think; merely jotting down words the instructor is saying will be of little use to you.
Types of NoteTaking:
1. Outline Method
A structured approach where information is organized hierarchy, using main topics, subtopics, and supporting details, often with indentation to show relationships. This method creates a clear visual structure, making it easier to understand the organization and relationships between ideas. It’s particularly useful for organized lectures or materials where a clear hierarchy exists.
Key Features:
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Main Topics/Headings:
These are the broadest categories of information, placed at the far left of the page.
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Subtopics:
These are more specific ideas that fall under the main topics, indented to the right.
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Supporting Details:
These are the most specific pieces of information, indented further under their respective subtopics.
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Indentation and Symbols:Indentation is used to visually represent the hierarchical structure, and symbols like bullet points, numbers, or letters can further clarify the level of detail.
2. Cornell Method
A notetaking system developed at Cornell University that involves dividing a page into sections for recording notes, creating cues or questions, and summarizing the main points. This method aims to enhance learning and improve recall by facilitating active engagement with the material and encouraging review.
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Organized Structure:
The page is typically divided into three or four sections: a main note-taking column, a cue/question column, and a summary section.
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Active Recall:
The cue/question column is used to create prompts or questions related to the notes, which can be used for self-testing and review.
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Concise Notes:
The note-taking column encourages the use of abbreviations, symbols, and paraphrasing to capture key ideas rather than transcribing everything verbatim.
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Review and Synthesis:The summary section at the bottom of the page promotes synthesis and deeper understanding by requiring students to condense the main points into their own words.
3. Mind-Mapping Method
This method uses a visual, non-linear approach to organize information. It starts with a central idea or topic and branches out with related concepts, subtopics, and details, often using colors, images, and symbols to enhance visual representation and memory retention.
Key Features:
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Central Topic:
The core idea or subject matter is placed in the center of the page or digital canvas.
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Branches:
Main themes or ideas related to the central topic radiate outwards from the center, connected by lines or curves.
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Subtopics and Details:
Further levels of information, such as subtopics, supporting details, and examples, are added as branches extending from the main branches.
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Visual Elements:
Colors, images, symbols, and different font sizes are used to highlight key points and relationships, making the map more engaging and easier to understand.
Key Features:
5. Sentence Method
This method involves writing down each new idea or fact as a complete sentence, with each sentence on a separate line. This approach is particularly useful for fast-paced lectures or when information is presented in a less structured format.
Key Features:
- Listen or read carefully: Pay close attention to the information being presented.
- Write down each new idea or fact as a complete sentence: Start a new line for each new sentence.
- Number each sentence: This helps with organization and review.
- Review and revise: After the lecture or reading, review your notes to ensure clarity and understanding.
6. Annotating
Annotating is a deliberate interaction with the text. It means reading critically and making notes. These notes can be questions, reactions, reminders, and ideas for discussing or writing in the margins or between the lines. Keeping a record of ideas as they occur to you will help prepare you to discuss the reading with your classmates and eventually to write about it.
Why?
Annotating a text you are reading gives you a quick reference guide for future use. Rather than having to re-read the article or PDF each time you return to it for information, you can rely on the quick reference points you have highlighted or the notes and comments you have made in the margins. This is a very useful skill when preparing assessments, synthesizing sources, and comparing and contrasting key concepts and ideas across different academic texts. When you are annotating a reading you are actively engaging with the text and will therefore read it more closely. Annotation also gives you the opportunity to add your own thoughts and comments, raise questions for further investigation, and challenge ideas within the text.
When?
After you have skimmed and scanned the text, for an overall understanding of its key ideas, you should complete a more in-depth reading if you intend to use the text for an assessment, to gain a deeper understanding of the topic, or to engage with the text for class preparation. Even while completing the initial skimming and scanning, you may want to mark key headings, sub-headings, concepts, or words. It is beneficial to go back over the text and add additional notes and comments as your understanding increases, specifically if you are comparing and contrasting different texts (journal articles, book chapters) about the same topic.
How?
While the method generally comes down to personal preference, here are some basic guidelines:
- Keep your annotations brief – use single words or brief phrases, rather than whole sentences.
- Use different colored highlighters to signify different concepts. However, use highlighting very sparingly. Excessive highlighting generates a colorful page where nothing stands out, which is the point of highlighting in the first place.
- Circle or mark words you are unfamiliar with and use a dictionary to understand their meaning and use. This will have the added benefit of increasing your academic vocabulary.
Example Video of Annotating:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=JtRGUNo2pck%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26rel%3D0