The Definition and Most Popular Methods of Note Taking

The Definition and Most Popular Methods of Note Taking Note-taking is the practice of writing down or otherwise recording key points of information. Note-taking is an important part of the research process. Notes taken on class lectures or discussions may serve as study aids, while notes taken during an interview may provide material for an essay, article, or book.  Taking notes doesnt simply mean scribbling down or marking up the things that strike your fancy, say  Walter Pauk and Ross J.Q. Owens in their book, How to Study in College. It means using a proven system and then effectively recording information before tying everything together. Cognitive Benefits of Note-Taking Note-taking involves certain cognitive behavior; writing notes engages your brain in specific and beneficial ways that help you grasp and retain information. Note-taking can result in broader learning than simply mastering course content because it helps you to process information and make connections between ideas, allowing you to apply your new knowledge to novel contexts, according to  Michael C. Friedman, in his paper, Notes on Note-Taking: Review of Research and Insights for Students and Instructors, which is part of the  Harvard University Initiative for Learning and Teaching. Shelley OHara, in her book, Improving Your Study Skills: Study Smart, Study Less, agrees, stating: Taking notes involves  active listening, as well as connecting and relating information to ideas you already know. It also involves seeking answers to questions that arise from the material. Taking notes forces you to actively engage your brain as you identify whats important in terms of what the speaker is saying and begin to organize that information into a comprehensible format to decipher later. That process, which is far more than simply scribbling what you hear, involves some heavy brainwork. Most Popular Note-Taking Methods Note-taking aids in reflection, mentally reviewing what you write. To that end, there are certain methods of note-taking that are among the most popular: The Cornell method, where you divide the paper into three sections: a space on the left for writing the main topics, a larger space on the right to write your notes, and a space at the bottom to summarize your notes; review and clarify your notes a soon as possible after class; summarize what youve written on the bottom of the page; and finally, study your notes.Creating a mind  map,  a visual  diagram that lets you organize  your notes in a  two-dimensional  structure, says  Focus. You create a mind map by writing the  subject or headline in  the center  of the page then add your  notes in the form of branches that  radiate  outward from the center.Outlining, which  is similar to creating an outline that you might use for a research paper.Charting, which  allows you to break up information into such categories as similarities and differences; dates, events, and impact; and pros and  cons, says  East Carolina University.The  sentence method, where you record every new thought, fact or topic on a separate line. All information is recorded, but it lacks (the) clarification of major and minor topics. Immediate review and editing are required to determine how information should be organized, says East Carolina University. Note-Taking Tips There are, of course, other variations on the previously described note-taking methods, such as the two-column method, says  Kathleen T. McWhorter, in her book, Successful College Writing, who explains that to use this method: Draw a vertical line from the top of a piece of paper to the bottom. The left-hand column should be about half as wide as the right-hand column. In the wider, right-hand column, record ideas and facts as they are presented in a lecture or discussion. In the narrower, left-hand column, note your own questions as they arise during the class. Making a list  can also be effective, say  John N. Gardner and Betsy O. Barefoot in Step by Step to College and Career Success. Once you have decided on a format for taking notes, you may also want to develop your own system of abbreviations, they suggest. Note-Taking Tips Among other tips offered by note-taking experts:Leave a space between entries so that you can fill in missing information.Use a laptop, which allows you to download information to add to your notes either during or after the lecture.Understand that there is a difference between taking notes on what you read and what you hear (in a lecture). If youre unsure what that might be, visit a teacher or professor during office hours and ask her to elaborate. Among other tips offered by note-taking experts: Leave a space between entries so that you can fill in missing information.Use a laptop, which allows you to download information to add to your notes either during or after the lecture.Understand that there is a difference between taking notes on what you read and what you hear (in a lecture). If youre unsure what that might be, visit a teacher or professor during office hours and ask her to elaborate. If none of these methods suit you, read the words of author Paul Theroux, in his article A World Duly Noted published in The Wall Street Journal in 2013: I write down everything and never assume that I will remember something because it seemed vivid at the time. And once you read these words, dont forget to jot them down in your preferred method of note-taking so that you wont forget them.