Note-Taking for Newbies

Do's and Don'ts of Note Taking

DO:

- Identify the speaker’s purpose

- Write down the main points, essence, and notable facts that would be hard to recall on your own later

- Save time using abbreviations

- Organise your notes and prioritize important points. Use bullet points and highlight, underline and capitalize appropriately

- Use arrows to show how concepts are connected Create easily identifiable symbols like stars to identify action items

- At the end of the lecture or meeting, summarise the main messages into one to two sentences to reinforce your understanding of the material

DO NOT:

- Write down everything the lecturer or speaker says

- Multitask. Stay focused on the speaker

- Experiment with the presentation or organisation of your notes while taking notes

Popular Note Taking Methods

OUTLINE METHOD

This method organises information in a structured and logical manner, becoming an excellent study guide. Use simple bullet points and an indented hierarchy. Top level bullet points should be used for the main concepts, and lower level bullet points for details.

Outline Method

CORNELL METHOD

Divide the paper into three sections like an upside down T, so you have a cue column on the top left, a notetaking column on the top right, and a wide summary section at the bottom. During the lecture, add bullet point notes to the note-taking column. After class, add keywords or questions to the cue column, then write a summary of the lecture below.

Cornell Method

MIND MAP METHOD

This method allows you to make new connections between ideas by highlighting important facts, showing the structure of a subject and its important individual parts. This is an ideal method for when you need to think creatively, or simply for a more holistic understanding of the subject. Write the topic at the center of a piece of paper, then add tree limbs with topics and subtopics.

Mind Map method

FLOW METHOD

The goal of this method is to learn the material once while sitting in class. Create your own mental image of the subject on paper. Organise it spatially, including arrows to connect concepts and ideas. Make any text as concise as possible; instead use boxes, lines, shapes and directions - whichever tools help you express your understanding most directly.

Flow Method

CHARTING METHOD

This method is ideal for when you’re learning about chronological events. Identify the topics that will be covered in the lecture. Then, draw columns and write the headings based on the categories. During the lecture or tutorial, write down words, phrases, and main ideas into the appropriate category.

Charting Method