How to Take Notes for Learning

Original Editor - Robin Tacchetti based on the course by Michael Rowe
Top Contributors - Robin Tacchetti, Jess Bell and Kim Jackson

Introduction

Effective note taking entails summarising important concepts as precisely as possible using your own words and connecting those concepts with the lectures. During the note-taking process, learners will interpret, filter and process information. This new information obtained will be stored with prior knowledge that can be retrieved at a later date when needed.

There is a two-fold value or function in taking notes:

1. Encoding:
   • the listener has to actively engage with the incoming information when taking notes
   • they then need to make decisions about how to encode that material
2. Storing information:
   • note taking creates a record of information that be accessed at a later date
   • this stored information can be used for a multitude of assignments that can be reused at a later date

In order to take good notes, preparation is key. Prior to note taking, the student should familiarise themselves with the topic and focus during the lecture. This will ensure an active listener rather than a passive participant.

Comprehension

Note taking is a technique that is particularly effective on learners' comprehension allowing them to understand what is being taught more easily. Specifically, increased comprehension occurs because of the following three reasons:

1. students focus their attention on the material that is lectured or presented
2. it prevents students from missing the specific points being taught during class
3. it helps with recall of informationWhen the lecture is over and note taking is complete, students should review their notes and continue to attach additional notes. This process encompasses reviewing the new concepts while clarifying any unclear ideas and answering any questions still remaining. This process can be done with a partner in a collaborative nature. Working with a partner has many benefits for note taking. Partner learners will typically be more organised, more legible and have more information written down.

Types of Notes

There are many different kinds of notes. The five most common categories of notes include daily, temporary, literature, permanent and project.

1. Daily notes
   • notes for date order or what is occurring during the day
   • tasks for the day
   • reminders
   • random thoughts you might need at a later date
   • journal, diary or calendar
   • in learning environment: administrative tasks (timetable for the day, meetings with teachers)
2. Temporary notes
   • notes you take in the moment but will delete as soon as you have dealt with the information
   • sticky notes
   • phone number, email address
3. Literature notes
   • questions, comments, challenges you write to authors in the margins of books
   • annotation apps when reading the internet
   • thoughts posted on social media
   • engagement with creators
4. Permanent notes
   • final version of notes taken during class
   • will use at a later date
   • have a title describing contents
   • include relevant quotes from primary source
   • references included
5. Project notes
   • notes that are part of a project/assignment
   • archive once assignment is complete
   • includes a collection of notes include administration, meetings, to-do lists, rough notes, resources, etc.

Technology

Mobile devices have been incorporated into the learning environment and are now used for the purpose of note-taking. The use of smart phones, tablets, computers and especially iPads for note taking have been found to provide students with positive attitudes towards learning. In addition, learners report these mobile devices allow for additional online information to be on hand at a moments notice which helps improve their learning. There are many developed applications for mobile devices to assist students with note-taking including Obsidian, Notion and Logseq. Some students opt to take photos of writings on the classroom board. The speed and convenience of these technologies have inversely affected the amount of time students spend writing.

Technology vs. Writing

There have been many studies comparing the use of technology versus pen and paper for note taking. The end result is that there are still positives and negatives to both. Theories behind each technique is highlighted below:

Technology Notes:

• more organised
• more comprehensive
• some studies report poorer academic performance
• can be distracting resulting in decreased attention
• multitasking on device can impact learning
• more accurate capture of information
• search more quickly and accurately
• less cognitive processing

Paper and Pen Notes:

• studies report better academic performance with conceptual questions
• no difference on factual questions
• ability to make connections between different areas of notes
• ability to draw images
• less words captured
• better cognitive processing
• better recall of concepts for longer periods afterwards
• slower
• less information captured

** Overall research is showing that there is not a big difference between the two note-taking techniques, but what is important is the quality of the notes.

Sketch Note taking

One technological application that is popular with learners is sketch note taking which is also referred to as visual or graphic notes. This technique involves notes with illustrations or symbols as well as text. The combination of drawing with writing has been shown to increase memory and retention. The use of sketch notes helps create stories rather than just ideas.

Cornell Method

Of the more common methods of taking notes is the Cornell note system. This method has a distinctive layout using a single sheet of paper separating divided into three columns. Each column is intended to serve a specific purpose. The three columns are categorised as cue, note-taking and summary area.

1. Cue column:
   • most important section
   • add a question for each note written that helps them organise or remember the information
2. Note-taking area:
   • quick note taking
   • getting overall concept and important details
   • use of bullets, graphs, drawings or definitions
   • information regarding what is on the board or what professor says
3. Summary area:
   • summarises the details of the note-taking area column into a few sentences to attain the big picture
   • trying to to envelop what this particular page entails
   • key ideas that should be reflected upon

The Cornell Method allows students to reflect on the information and test themselves throughout the lecture and post-lecture. This system allows the students to mini quiz themselves by placing a blank sheet of paper over the note-taking area whereby only exposing the cues. By reviewing the list of cues, the student can quiz themselves on the respective notes that accompany each specific cue. Instant feedback is provided with this reciting method and provides motivation to continue. Therefore, this method of note writing uses active reflection rather that passively re-reading the material.

Watch the video below by Cornell University for ideas on how students use the Cornell Method:

Resources

• How To Focus When Learning
• Creating New Habits For Learning