Four Tips to Take Notes Effectively

Why should you take notes in the first place? That is because note-taking is crucial to concentrate. Studies show that it helps focus attention and organize the ideas as well as course materials. It enables you to process the information and understand it in depth.

If you are appearing in the board exams, taking notes is even more important for you. It will help you grasp and memorize the concepts effectively. During the exam preparation, you can refer to them instead of going through the textbook again and again. Here are a few tips to take notes effectively.

Make Outlines

While listening to the lectures, try to organize your notes. Make outlines from the lecture or the textbook materials. It will help highlight the shifts and transitions from one concept to another. You can use Roman numerals or bullet points for outlining. It records the hierarchy and induces connectivity between data and ideas.

If you are taking notes from the textbook, reproduce the material and incorporate the sequence given in the book. Outlining proves to be easier when you are taking notes from the textbook. In the case of the lectures, ideas are not always in sequence.

Mind-Mapping

Mind-mapping is more suitable when you are preparing notes from a lecture. It helps you form connections between the ideas. Write the main topic at the center of a paper. Introduce the sub-ideas (your potential headings) and draw a branch connecting the main idea with the sub-topics. Keep writing all the sub-ideas and connect them with the relevant topics.

Cornell Note-Talking System

Cornell System is a popular way of taking notes. It helps you record the main concepts as well as the supplementary observations and anecdotes. In this method, you divide your paper by drawing a vertical line one-third from the left-hand side of the page. While studying a concept or listening to a lecture, jot down main ideas on the right side of this line. Do not worry about making outlines or characterization for now.

Write supplementary information like examples, anecdotes, or anything you observed during the lecture on the left side. This way, you will get a ready outline in the portion containing the main ideas. You can read the notes and connect all the examples and phrases after the class.

Charting

This method is handy for Pakistan Studies and History. However, you can also use it for science subjects. Draw columns and rows (the typical chart) and label the columns according to the topic. Write the relevant information under the labeled category. This way, you will get an organized summary of a topic. This method enables you to memorize the facts quickly and compare the information easily.

You can also acquire the complete book notes available online. There are many online platforms providing self-studymaterials.