Three ways to take notes from YouTube videos
I’ve been using YouTube to learn new things for too many years and never realized that instead of rewatching the same video, I could just have taken some notes.
I will explain three note-taking methods that I have personally tried, each in a specific order: the traditional method, note-taking from transcriptions, and note-taking using mind maps.
The Traditional way
This is the most obvious way and the one I started with, simply taking a notebook and writing down interesting points from the video, as if it were a class at school.
The truth is, it’s a bit strange to have a notebook for taking notes from videos, so I quickly switched to a digital format. When I used to attend classes, I usually had a notebook for each subject, and in that case, it made sense. However, when it comes to taking notes from YouTube videos, as they don’t always follow a defined structure or have a set duration, using a notebook doesn’t work as well.
At that moment, I thought about transitioning to a digital format. Back then I wasn’t very familiar with the world of digital note-taking, so I started using Notion, and it still seems like a great option to this day.
In Notion, you can create a page for each video, insert the video itself, and start writing just below it. It’s fast and simple.
Furthermore, Notion offers the ability to create tables as databases, allowing you to have a database of pages dedicated to taking notes from videos. Additionally, you can create tags to categorize the pages. This feature helps maintain a well-organized structure with minimal effort.
One drawback of this method, however, is that it can be a bit tedious when dealing with multiple short videos on the same topic. Having to create a separate page for each video to capture only a few points can become cumbersome.
The transcript way
This method involves obtaining the transcription of the video and highlighting sections or adding notes to the transcribed text.
Initially, I used Notion for this as well. I would get the transcription from a page like https://youtubetranscript.com/ and paste it into my Notion file. Then, I would highlight sections with different colors or add comments.
Another excellent tool for this purpose is Readwise Reader. This tool allows you to highlight content from various sources and gather them in a single platform. This includes books, articles, and YouTube videos (there may be more, but I haven’t tried them).
To use the video highlighting feature, simply save it with Readwise Reader (you can do this by copying the video’s URL) and open it to start highlighting the transcription.
The advantage of Readwise Reader over a plain transcipt text is that the transcription scrolls along with the video, so you always know where you are. In addition, your highligts and notes can be exported to another platform if desired.
The downside is that a subscription is required to use this tool. However, if you’re interested in trying it out, there is a one-month trial period.
One drawback I’ve noticed with this method is that the transcription sometimes contains spelling errors or inaccuracies since it is generated using voice-to-text tools. Generally, it’s not too difficult to spot these mistakes in the transcription, but they do require extra effort when taking notes. Nevertheless, I still find this method interesting and worth considering.
The mind map way
My favorite method at the moment, it is the most useful when you’re searching for videos on the same topic, and they are all short videos that discuss the subject in different ways. One video might share interesting insights, another video may repeat them and add something new, and yet another video could provide additional new information. In these cases, the best approach is to use a mind map.
The interesting thing is that you don’t need to create a separate page for each video; you can create a mind map and add all the videos you want. For this, I use Obsidian, a Markdown file editor that has a built-in canvas tool for creating mind maps.
To use it, simply create a new canvas and paste the URL of a video. A preview of the video will appear, and you can connect cards with relevant information to it. Repeat this process for each video, filling your canvas with cards. You can connect cards when information is repeated across multiple videos. You can also paste images; I often include screenshots of parts of the video that I find interesting.
Here’s an example of when I was gathering information on writing YouTube scripts from various sources(ironically, those sources were YouTube videos):
Keep in mind that once you have your mind map ready, you can transfer the information to a more organized document if desired, so it’s more accessible.
Conclusion
To sum up, you can use these three methods together depending on your needs. The traditional or transcript method can be useful for long videos or video series within a playlist that follow a defined order. On the other hand, the mind map method is ideal for gathering information from different short videos on the same topic and having it all in one place.