Taking notes is a task that students must learn to develop throughout their school career. It consists of paying attention to the most important aspects of a teacher’s talk in each of their subjects. A good notebook is a great help for our memory since 42% of it is forgotten 20 minutes after having learned something new and 65% after 1 hour, but above all, it is a reformulation of ideas and comments.
It is important to write them clearly and in an orderly manner, as they allow us to reflect on what we have learned. They require concentration and active attention during classes as they require the intervention of several senses and therefore the integration of perception, facilitating the memorization process.
They help mental agility through the processes of synthesizing, classifying, and relating. They improve the quality of writing, and the understanding of the concepts covered in the subject, and promote interest, dynamism, and the learning process.
Even though we know how important it is to take good notes in class, few teachers are responsible for teaching this skill systematically and intentionally. Perhaps due to ignorance or other reasons, which are certainly understandable, but the fact is that students learn to take notes almost instinctively.
That is why we find the following article very useful. It presents 4 techniques for taking notes that you can pass on to your students to help their learning process.
4 Techniques for Taking Notes Efficiently
You’ve probably been taking notes in class for years, but have you ever wondered if you’re doing it correctly?
Taking notes in class is not about writing down every single word the teacher says in his explanation, but rather about collecting the main points so that we are able to remember the important information when we are studying.
Ultimately, having good notes will play a huge role in your final learning, so it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on your note-taking process to see if you can improve it in any way.
Getting into the habit of generating your notes in the right way and following best practices will not only help you do better in this course but also the next one, the next one, and every other one in your student life.
How to Take Notes: The Best Techniques
1. Cornell Method – The Cornell method is one of the most popular techniques for taking notes and basically consists of dividing our notes into 3 main sections as we can see in the image.
The right column corresponds to the general area where the student must reflect on the most important ideas that the teacher explains during the class. It is important that we try to summarize as much as possible and that we are intelligent when writing.
The left area is used to complete the main notes, writing marginal notes that help us understand and relate the different parts of our notes. This section can be developed during the class itself or at the end of it.
The bottom area should be left blank during class, as it is meant to be used when we are reviewing/studying. At this time, we won’t have the pressure to keep up with the class and write quickly, so we should try to make a summary of the key points on the note sheet and make it more organized.
2. Split-page method – This method has certain similarities with the previous one, although it actually follows a completely different principle. The idea is to divide the page vertically into two sections: the main ideas and the secondary ones.
So, while we take notes, we are simultaneously organizing our material. This method may require some adaptation at first, but in the long term, it will help us to better optimize our time when studying using our notes.
3. Supernotes – This method is based on the use of visual resources to take advantage of the natural way in which the brain processes information.
It consists of using a large number of drawings, graphs, diagrams, etc. so that we follow the explanation sequentially without needing to write long paragraphs.
The use of colors and other visual elements such as letters of different sizes also favors the so-called supernotes. In this sense, mind maps are becoming one of the most widespread resources for this type of note, as they allow ideas and connections to be developed in a simple and visual way.
4. Symbols and Abbreviations – No matter what method we use to take notes, there will always be times when we can’t keep up with the class and our wrists will start to hurt from writing so much. It is therefore a good idea to develop our language of symbols to write as much as possible with as little effort as possible. Once the class is over, we can always “translate” the notes, but during class, this can get us out of more than one tight spot.
These are 4 of the most effective note-taking techniques we know of. However, it’s important to adapt them to your study routine and stick to those that work for you.
