Five tips for taking better notes

Note taking is an essential skill for both your studies and your professional life.  Here are some tips to help you write better notes; 

1.     Employ a note taking technique 

Every note taking technique is just about structure and organising what you want and need to note.  The outline method, the chart method and the Cornell method are all good examples of these.  Having an idea of what you need to note down before you have to take notes means that you can focus. 

2.     Active Listening 

Being able to focus is a core skill.  If you are unable to follow a 5–10-minute lecture without being distracted then you cannot expect your notes to be effective.  You can practice this by trying to summarise the key points from a short TED Talk.  See how simple you can make the core messages. 

3.     Don’t write everything down 

A common mistake, especially if you are word processing, is trying to write everything down.  People can often say ‘I can type faster than I am writing’ but you are not expected to transcribe but, rather, you are expected to take notes.  There is some evidence to suggest that handwriting notes aids recall so you may want to avoid word processing notes. 

4.    Write for yourself 

Noting down questions or actions for yourself to look at after the event ensures that your notes have purpose and meaning and a usefulness beyond the event itself.  You might use the margins to write down where you need to seek clarification or to prepare questions, should the opportunity arise. Sometimes it can be better to write it down than say it aloud as this is often a means of keeping yourself in check.  

5.     Use visual hierarchy in your notes

Books are organised into chapters and paragraphs for good reason.  It helps us to navigate and we can apply this same idea to our note taking.  Doing something as simple as capitalising an important heading or question can make this easier to locate on review.  Ensure that you have clear headings and make use of symbols or images, where possible, to illustrate key points.  

One of the most important take aways for note taking is the purpose and usefulness of your notes.  If they are being stuffed in the bottom of a bag or stored in a file in the corner of an office and never reviewed then there may not have been much purpose in taking notes in the first place.  Make them presentable, organised and purposeful.  

Article by Shenton Club member: John Branney | Thoughts