Note-taking, as simple as it seems, plays a very critical role in grasping a concept and highlighting important points and can be quite tricky in some cases. It is a task we perform everyday. Whether taking minutes during a staff meeting, making jottings during a phone conversation, noting important points in an interview or trying to get the gist from lectures. But, how do we know if what we are writing makes sense? When we look back at our notes, do we have triggered memories of a conversation, lecture or an important meeting? Or do we see gibberish, another language with which we are unfamiliar?
When note-taking, we should consider six main points.
1. Have a pre-determined template
It can be helpful to have a framework to follow when taking notes. This might include different sections that are deemed important so that in the height of note-taking, vital information isn’t missed. This framework or template need not be very complex, but can be quite simple. Important headings to include are:
- Topic: This is perhaps the most important area of the note, since it allows someone to easily identify the subject of the discussion or notes to follow.
- Date and time: The date and time the note is being made should be included and in some cases where the note is made after a lecture, that date should also be noted.
- Body: The body of the note will contain the main points, perhaps under different headings, for whatever topic the note is based.
- Summary: It is important to summarise the contents of the note to have a basic idea of what it entails so that determining if it is the right document needed can be quick and easy. It can be placed either at the beginning or the end of the note.
- Questions: Every aspect of a piece of information will not be immediately clear and therefore when parts are not understood they should be highlighted. Therefore, a section should be included for any questions you need to clarify. Additionally, in the body of the notes, question marks can be placed at points that are unclear.
2. Points not paragraphs
The idea behind taking notes is usually to provide brief important points that can be later reviewed and give context to a topic. Sometimes notes are taken when an extensive amount of time is not available to capture everything that is said. Therefore, the most important points should be filtered and noted. Writing verbatim can prevent you from grasping the concept and missing the most important bits because you are trying to capture everything said. Additionally, writing large paragraphs can make it difficult to easily identify the necessary information at a first glance and reading them can be time consuming. Therefore, aim to make bullet points instead of paragraphs and avoid writing verbatim. At a later time, the note can be reviewed to expound on the points.
3. Different forms of note taking
The most traditional form of note-taking is via writing, either handwritten or typed. However, other forms of note-taking can include video or audio recordings or taking photographs if these are permitted. Whichever form is used to take notes, be sure to capture all points you deem important.
4. Continuity of notes
In some instances, such as a lecture, a topic might be covered across multiple sessions and therefore ensuring continuity and good organisation of the notes can be helpful (see our article on simple tips for organising notes). In this case, also ensure that the date of the continuing note is noted.
5. Other techniques
Other techniques can be used to help note-taking and subsequent learning easier. Some persons are more visual learners and including drawings, flowcharts or any other means you find useful, can be employed to aid you in your journey. Additionally, it might useful to colour code information. Colours can be used to highlight different sections within the notes and categorise according to importance or priority. Colours can have a key that shows the corresponding meaning.
6. Refining your notes
It is important to review your notes, perhaps within 24 hours, to ensure clarity, to edit, so that you remember the context of the information and to ensure it makes sense.