5 Most Effective Note-Taking Techniques
Work Efficiently Learn Permanently
Keeping accurate notes is very important for our education and studies.
Obviously, we should not think only for lessons. What does it mean to keep accurate notes for the permanence of information in every book you read, every subject you research, even every video you watch? How can I achieve this?
This is what we need to know.
This is not a skill.
It’s something you can learn very simply. I promise you, there will be a huge difference in the long run between the you you are now and the you you will be when you read this article to the end. In this article, we will learn five note-taking techniques that I use myself and that are recommended by the world’s top universities.
Learning is man’s greatest passion and hunger.
Today, it is easier to access information than at any other time in history. We can access texts, audio recordings and even videos on almost any subject we are curious about.
At this point, the question comes to mind:
How can we learn better?
1. Cornell Method
You divide the page into three parts.
On the left side you write the words and questions that caught your attention while learning the topic. On the right side, you write the parts that caught your attention while listening to the lesson. After you finish the lesson, you write a summary of the event by combining the questions, words and sentences at the bottom.
This system organizes your notes very nicely.
It makes it easy to summarize and review in the future. It allows you to extract the most important ideas and summary of the topic. Since you summarize the topic by combining words, questions and short sentences, this connection
2. Mapping Method
It is a very good method for students with visual intelligence.
It helps you to remember the relationships between the topics and make connections between them. You write the main topic at the top. As sub-headings appear, you write every word, information and note under these headings without any limit.
It is much more enjoyable if you do it with colored pencils.
3. Key Method
This method is most useful when learning topics with a lot of detail.
It ensures that notes are properly organized. It clearly shows the relationship between topics and subtopics. When you start learning, you write the main topic at the top.
Then you write the subtopic, indenting a little to the right in each subtopic.
And you collect notes under these subtopics.
When you move on to a new main topic, you write the main topic on the left again and indent a little to the right in each subtopic and write the subtopics and the notes you have kept under those subtopics in important places.
4. Box Method
It is a good method for mixed lessons where the subheadings are not clear.
It is especially ideal for people who take notes on a tablet. When you start reading or listening, you open a box and write your notes on the first topic. Then you switch to a new box when you start talking about something different.
In each box, you write down a different topic that you feel is new.
In the future, the boxes can intertwine.
Topics can make connections. The reason why I recommend working with a tablet is that you can easily combine these boxes and take them out of each other. It is a very enjoyable method for visually oriented people.
5. Table Method
You cannot do this when you are listening to something or if you need to be fast.
This is a method I recommend only for those who have time. It is laborious, but it gives you a precise and very deep understanding of the subject. When you look back in the future, you have a very clear summary.
You write the subheadings you need to learn from top to bottom, and in the columns you write the questions you need to find answers to about that lesson.
I need to mention this.
Keeping accurate notes helps us to understand correctly. Because when you take notes correctly, you don’t just try to keep the information. You connect it, you ask questions, you wonder and you make it permanent.
If we manage to take notes correctly, we can recall the information we want at any time.
This replaces short-term memories with permanent learning.
You can choose one of these methods that interests you, that seems enjoyable for you or that suits your study system.
Of course, you can even develop a special note-taking technique for yourself. Improving your note-taking skills means improving your comprehension skills. And this doesn’t just happen in the classroom.
Understanding information in the right way leads to understanding oneself in the right way.
Further Reading and Bibliography
1- Pauk, W., & Owens, R. J. Q. (2013). How to Study in College. Cengage Learning.
- This book provides a comprehensive guide to study skills, including detailed information on effective note-taking techniques.
2- Kiewra, K. A. (1989). A Review of Note-Taking: The Encoding Storage Paradigm and Beyond. Educational Psychology Review, 1(2), 147–172.
- This article provides a review of research on note-taking, focusing on the encoding and storage aspects of the process.
3- Piolat, A., Olive, T., & Kellogg, R. T. (2005). Cognitive effort during note taking. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 19(3), 291–312.
- This study investigates the cognitive effort involved in note-taking and its impact on learning and recall.
4- Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168.
- This study compares the effectiveness of longhand and laptop note-taking on learning and retention.
5- Boch, F., & Piolat, A. (2005). Note taking and learning: A summary of research. The WAC Journal, 16, 101–113.
- This article provides a summary of research on note-taking and its impact on learning.
Please note that this bibliography includes a mixture of books, peer-reviewed articles, and other scholarly resources. It is always important to critically assess the quality and relevance of any sources you use in your research or writing.
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