Taking Notes

Video credit: Taking Notes – Posted by UBCleap YouTube

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1. When taking notes in class, it is important to…
- write down everything the professor says.
- write your notes in your own words.
- only summarize the key points.
- write down any questions you have.
In general, people speak much faster than they write, this means that it is next to impossible to copy down every single thing your teacher says in a lecture, and by even trying, you will not give yourself time to engage with the content. In order to process the information more effectively, you should spend more time listening than writing.

It is also best to put what is being said into your own words, to only summarize the key points of the lecture and to write down any questions that the lecture brings up. Some tips for effective note taking can be found here.
Writing notes in your own words is an important part of note taking as it helps you to interact with the content and to show that you have understood and processed it. If you do copy an important quote down directly, make sure to put it in quotation marks to avoid plagiarizing by accident.

That being said, it is also important to only write down key points, so that you don’t spend all class writing instead of engaging with the information. It is also good practice to write down any questions you may have about the content so that you can ask your teacher or fellow students for clarification later.

For more help with note taking, go here.
Only writing down key information is an important part of note taking, as it demonstrates your ability to summarize the content. Often lecturers will emphasize the most important points through repetition, highlighting key information on the board or PowerPoint slides, or through discussion questions.

However, it is also important to put the information into your own words whenever possible and to write down any questions you may have to ensure that you receive clarification from your teacher or a fellow student after class.

For more help with note taking go here.
By recording any questions you may have, you will engage deeply with the topic you are studying and will demonstrate your ability to take notes actively rather than passively. Not only will questioning help you to clarify where you are confused, it can also help you to develop connections with other topics in your course, or other subjects.

However, questions are only helpful if you ensure that you look into the answers after class, either by talking to your teacher, asking a fellow student, or by looking the answer up yourself. And while questioning is a very important part of note taking, it is also integral that you write down key points and facts in your own words so that you can study the main concepts and ideas at a later date.

For more help with note taking go here.
2. What is the best way to take notes?
- By hand.
- On a computer.
- Neither, I don’t take notes.
The way you take notes will depend on your personal preference, and the type of class you are taking. In general, taking notes by hand is slower than typing, but it provides you with the flexibility to draw diagrams, arrows or even to include important equations into your notes with ease.

Also, because this form of note taking is slower, you are more likely to record only what is necessary and to put your notes into your own words rather than simply regurgitating the lecture. Overall this helps with long-term retention of the information. Need proof? Check out this NPR article or this one from Scientific America.

If you like the idea of hand-written notes, but also want to incorporate technology into your note taking, there are many tablet applications that can help. Try Squid Notes or Evernote to start, though there are many others.
The way you take notes will depend on your personal preference, and the class you are taking. Taking notes on a computer is often much faster than writing them out by hand, and you can easily reformat or add information into your work without having to copy it out again. You can also sync your phone to your computer to access your notes on multiple devices.

The downside to computer-based note taking is that it is fast, so you are more likely to write down lectures word for word rather than actually engaging with the content by summarizing it and putting it into your own words. Studies also show that taking notes by hand helps students retain information better. Need proof? Check out this NPR article or this one from Scientific America.

Laptops also provide numerous distractions and can cause you to disengage from the lecture. If you find yourself constantly checking your e-mail or scrolling through Twitter, consider turning off your Wifi, or use an app that temporarily blocks certain sites such as Cold Turkey or Self Control.
Effective note taking is an important tool for improving your knowledge retention and grades. Taking notes helps you to pay attention during lectures and focuses your learning, by giving you the opportunity to actively engage with the content.

For some information on why you should take notes go here.
3. Which note taking strategy is the best for you?
- The Outline Method.
- The Cornell Method.
- The Mind Map Method.
- The Flow Method.
- The Write on the Slides Method.
- However I feel like taking them that day.
There is no one size fits all form of note taking. The method you choose will depend on the class you are taking and your own personal preference.

This method works well for Humanities classes, especially if you receive an outline from your teacher at the beginning of class, however it might be difficult to implement in a really fast paced lecture, or in Science/Math courses that are more fact and formula based.

However this format does make it easy to engage with big points and to review what you’ve learned. Consistent formatting and using bullet points will help you to visualize the levels of the hierarchy and to emphasize both the subject’s big topics and their supporting points.

Using a computer might make it easier to format this type of notes as you can add in extra details later without things getting too messy.

A sample structure of this formal is available here.
There is no one size fits all form of note taking. The method you choose will depend on the class you are taking and your own personal preference.

However, the Cornell Method is one of the most endorsed note taking methods for any subject as it provides an excellent format for condensing and organizing notes. By splitting your page into 3 sections you can easily review your notes, ask questions and summaries are divided from the actual lecture notes. This method is not just useful for basic recall but it also helps with material that requires synthesis or the application of knowledge.

A template to use by hand is available here.
There is no one size fits all form of note taking. The method you choose will depend on the class you are taking and your own personal preference.

Overall the Mind Mapping Method is generally easier on paper than on a computer, but Coggle is a free mind map tool that can help. However, this structure isn’t great for recording large amounts of information and might be better for brainstorming assignment or essay ideas rather than note taking in class.

The Mind Mapping Method is an effective way to visualize what you’re thinking as smaller concepts branch off from main ideas and show connections. This form helps with the visual representation of ideas and concepts and helps to boost recall and increase memory retention.
There is no one size fits all form of note taking. The method you choose will depend on the class you are taking and your own personal preference.

This method bears some similarities to mind mapping as you are to create connections, draw diagrams and make analogies during the lecture. There is no specific structure (which can get messy), but writing down information in your own words is key. It’s good for classes that are big idea, rather than fact or statistic heavy and might be best for meetings or discussions rather than lectures.

It is meant to be the opposite of hierarchical note taking such as the Outline Method as it is more about intuition than structure. The idea behind it is that it will accelerate your learning as you will better absorb the information while listening to the lecture. If done properly, it should minimize the necessity of reviewing.

More information on how to use this method is available here.
There is no one size fits all form of note taking. The method you choose will depend on the class you are taking and your own personal preference.

The Write on the Slide Method is extremely convenient, but only works if your teacher uses PowerPoint slides in their lectures, and also provides them to students before class. However, if they do, this method allows you to simply add to the information on the slides and to spend more time engaging with the class content than furiously writing.

Because the slides mirror the flow of the lecture, this format gives you a good timeline view of the information covered in class and is good for image or graph heavy classes. However, this method is a bit difficult to use if you want to show relationships between the concepts covered.
At the end of the day, there is no one size fits all form of note taking. The method you choose will depend on the class you are taking and your own personal preference. That being said, the more consistent you are in your note taking strategy, the better you will get at one particular method. This will create consistency in your learning and reviewing strategies and improve your learning overall.
4. When should you review your notes?
- Before a big test or assignment.
- Right after class.
- As often as I can.
- It doesn't matter.
If you only review your notes right before a big test or assignment, you will not give yourself time to think deeply about the content or to make connections.

Notes are the most beneficial when reviewed right after class and then again as often as is possible to solidify your deep understanding. By doing this, the material will become familiar to you, and studying for exams will become a lot easier.

Reviewing your notes means more than just reading them, try: summarizing, mind mapping, making connections, self-questioning, or meeting with a friend to practice explaining new concepts to each other.
By engaging with the material right after class, the information will be fresh in your mind and you will more easily identify any gaps in your understanding and to generate questions to ask your classmates or teacher. It is also good to do some review questions right after class to further check your understanding of new concepts and to put your new knowledge into practice.

However, you must continue to review your notes throughout the semester to ensure you are retaining the information and making connections between new and old concepts.

Reviewing your notes means more than just reading them, try: summarizing, mind mapping, making connections, self-questioning, or meeting with a friend to practice explaining new concepts to each other.
Reviewing your notes frequently will make the information second nature and will help when it comes to studying for an exam. This means, reviewing your notes right after class to easily identify any gaps in your understanding and to generate questions to ask your classmates or teacher and to continue this review process as often as you can.

However, reviewing your notes means more than just reading them, try: summarizing, mind mapping, making connections, self-questioning, or meeting with a friend to practice explaining new concepts to each other.
It is important to review your notes to ensure that you have thought deeply about your new knowledge and to identify any gaps in your understanding. Reviewing your notes right after class and then again as often as possible is integral to your long term retention of information.

However, reviewing your notes means more than just reading them, try: summarizing, mind mapping, making connections, self-questioning, or meeting with a friend to practice explaining new concepts to each other.

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How to Effectively Take Notes Infographic

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Your Turn

Try using one of the 5 recommended note taking strategies this semester and let us know if you found it useful.

Share your thoughts below.

13 responses to “Taking Notes”

tet.guru May 29, 2017 at 4:53 am Permalink | Reply

all the shared information is good and i recommend to make all the content short and sweet.
whitney allen October 5, 2017 at 11:04 am Permalink | Reply

This information helped me a lot and I will use through out my college year
Lorena Flores August 29, 2018 at 9:16 am Permalink | Reply

I’m starting, but in my opinion, it’s going to help me a lot to define how I should take notes
Mrs. Girard October 2, 2018 at 12:53 pm Permalink | Reply

Hey! I’d like to share this with my senior high school students and link to this tutorial on our school library webpage, if I can have permission to do so? Doing our best to start ’em young – @Ladysmith Secondary School
1. Chapman Learning Commons February 13, 2019 at 2:47 pm Permalink | Reply
  
  Hello Mrs. Girard,
  Please do share with them and recite our source! Hope the article helps more students as well!
  
  Sincerely,
  UBC Chapman Learning Commons
searchengineer.org February 12, 2019 at 2:13 am Permalink | Reply

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Carol Tacha August 21, 2020 at 2:15 am Permalink | Reply

Very helpful information. I am excited to apply it in my course this semester!
Adetola O. July 26, 2021 at 7:52 am Permalink | Reply

I really like the way the informations were shared, simple language for easy understanding. Can’t wait to apply the knowlege.
1. Annika July 26, 2021 at 1:07 pm Permalink | Reply
  
  Thank you so much! Stay tuned for more helpful resources!
LaTasha Clark August 8, 2022 at 8:27 pm Permalink | Reply

This was all great information. Some practices I was already doing, but there was a lot of new stuff I learned today too watching the video.
1. sarah robertson August 9, 2022 at 10:31 am Permalink | Reply
  
  Hello, thank you for your comment. We’re glad you enjoyed this resource!
Nicole Lee October 5, 2022 at 8:12 am Permalink | Reply

Very informative! It showed me variety types of note taking skill and definitely taught me on how to effectively , strategically write notes.
Robert Shipe January 21, 2023 at 5:47 pm Permalink | Reply

All the information definitely has me trying to change into a better note taker…

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13 responses to “Taking Notes”

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