Note Taking

Skills
Instructor: Ms. Shazia Nouman
Institute: IoBM

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 Note taking technique
Many times note taking is one of the most difficult things
for a student to do effectively. It can be difficult for
students to know what to write down, what is important
or pertinent information, or how to structure their notes
so they are easy to study from in the future. By taking the
time to understand why we take notes, how best to do so,
and how to use them, we are able to improve our ability
to make them truly useful. Notes taken during reading or
lectures can be one of the strongest tools a student has in
their academic experience. 2
 What?
What is effective note taking?
How can I take good notes in class or from written texts?
Is it different for each?
What is the overall goal of my note taking?
How do I study and what should I include in my notes to
help this process?
How is the class that I am taking taught and how should I
take notes based on this?
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 Why?

Why do we take notes?

To summarize.
To highlight important information.
Most importantly, to review and study from later.

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 What should be included?
 Pertinent information – What subject/chapter are you
covering in class that day? Look on your syllabus. Any
information that is presented and pertains to that area is
pertinent information.
• • Valid information – Before including information in notes,
it is important to determine if the information is accurate and
based on fact.
 Questions you have – These include questions you have
about things you don’t understand and the topics that you
need clarification on later. Perhaps they may even include
questions about how the point pertains to the subject.
Account for anything that will prompt your memory later
when you are reviewing.
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 Cont.
 Ideas - Write down ideas that you come up with during
discussion in class, from points read in the text, or even
ideas for an upcoming paper or essay exam.
 • Verbal clues – These may include clues from the
professor about future exams, or future implications of
the material on concepts you will study later.
 • Points to study later - Included can be ideas/concepts
you need more review to grasp or points the professor
indicated will be covered on the exam.

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 Cont.
 Know the source (lecturer, author, etc.) - Knowing the lecturer can help
pinpoint important information or highly testable material. Even if they
simply repeat material from the texts, always be prepared to take notes
and listen. There may be clues in the lecture about exams and
assignments. Some will amplify the textbook. This is more often the
case, which means careful attention and good note-taking skills will
ensure success in the course. Others will present new information
typically not in the text. In this case, class notes will be the most crucial
tool in this mix. The lecturer is pointing out what he/she thinks is
important. • Tangents/Examples – It may appear that your professor is
off subject, but more that likely examples and real case scenarios will be
given. It is important to discern between examples that illustrate points
of importance and tangents that will not contribute to your understanding
of the course material.

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• • Specific order – Follow the book or at least
chapter order. This allows for a logical flow of
information in your notes.
• • Handouts – These are always important tools to
supplement lecture. Test questions often come off
handouts; otherwise they would be a waste of a
professor’s time.

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 General tips and tricks:
 Develop a personal form of abbreviations to allow you to take notes
more quickly and allow you to include more information effectively.
 • Skip lines to allow you to fill in more information later. • Always date
material to know what material each test covers.
 • Leave marginal room for notes when reviewing or from reading text.
 Re-write notes right after lecture for better retention.
 • Paraphrase! – It is easier to study from your own ideas than your
lecturers’!
 • Stay ahead of reading assignments. This will help you understand
lectures better and give you a better indication of what notes are
important to take

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• . • Use labels, categories, and separate chapters/concepts to
organize your notes.
• Keep notes clear. Doodling is distracting when you go back to
study and is an indication of daydreaming during class.
• • Use separate notebooks for each class.
• • Underline or star key points.
• • Record lectures if you are having trouble keeping up.
(Remember to ask permission from lecturer).
• • Know the type of test you will be taking, if you are going to be
tested on the material. This will allow you to tailor your notes to
fit this style.
• • Diagram relationships between information. This can be
especially useful in subjects such as history.
• If your lecturer repeatedly speaks on a topic, it is likely that you
will have to know it in the future.
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• Use your notes for review and study later:
• The main reason we take notes is to aid our
studying later. Use them appropriately. Review
your notes frequently; this can be extremely useful
even in short sittings. It is best to begin this process
within 24 hours of first taking the notes. By doing
so, retention is greatly increased. The more you use
your notes, the more familiar the material will
become and the more information you will retain
for future use.
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 Types of Note Taking Techniques

Cornell Method
Outlining Method
Mapping Method
Charting Method
Boxing Method
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 Cornell Method

• The Cornell note taking method helps organize class notes into easily
digestible summaries. This method is effective because the main points,
details, study cues, and summary are all written in one place.
• ADVANTAGES:
• Notes are neatly organized, summarized, and easy to review
• Allows you to pull out major ideas and concepts
• WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
• The paper is divided into 3 sections: a 2.5” margin to the left, a 2”
summary section on the bottom, and a main 6” in-class note section.

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 Outlining Method
• The Outlining note taking method uses headings and bullet points to
organize topics. This method is most useful when learning about topics
that include a lot of detail.
• ADVANTAGES:
• Allows notes to be neatly organized.
• It is easy to see the relationship between topics and subtopics.
• It is easy to turn points into study questions.
• WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
• Each section starts with a heading of the main topic. Each subtopic and
supporting fact is written underneath the proper heading.

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 Mapping Methods
• The Mapping note taking method is a more visual way to
organize your class notes. This technique is useful when learning
about relationships between topics.
• ADVANTAGES:
• Useful for visual learners who struggle with studying from notes.
• Helps you remember and connect relationships between topics.
• WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
• The page is organized by topic. The main topics branch out into
subtopics with detailed information about each.

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 Charting Method
• Charting note taking method uses columns to organize
information. This method is useful for lessons that cover a lot
of facts or relationships between topics.
• ADVANTAGES:
• Facts are organized and easy to review.
• Highlights key pieces of information for each topic.
• WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
• The page is divided into columns labeled by category. The
details of each category are filled out in the rows below.

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 Boxing Method

• The Boxing Method is an increasingly popular

method of writing notes, especially advised to
those of you that bring their iPad or Laptop to
class. With this method, notes that relate to one
specific subject are grouped together in a box with
the title at the top.

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