Effective Note-Taking & Organisation
by Aditi
IN WHICH ADITI SHARES FUN AND EFFECTIVE WAYS OF DEALING WITH THE INCREASING PAPERWORK. NOTETAKING CAN BE ARDUOUS OR SIMPLE DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU HAVE THE RIGHT METHODS TO DEAL WITH IT. THE METHODS OUTLINED HERE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE EXTREMELY USEFUL FOR MANY OF US IN JC.
Whether you’re just starting secondary school or moving on to upper secondary, you’ll not only be handling more subjects but also study them in greater breadth and depth. It’s also likely you’ll be expected to become a more ‘independent learner’.
This probably includes having to take some of your own notes in class. How do you prevent information overload as your teacher dishes out facts and figures? What do you do if you can barely read your own notes, because they’re too messy? Practising effective note-taking and organisation strategies will go a long way in minimising these problems.
Do keep in mind that it’s often a process of trial-and-error before you develop a strategy that works best for you. Like the clothes we wear and the food we like, everyone’s note-taking method is different and depends on their working style and preferences. So don’t be afraid to experiment with the suggestions found below till you find the method you’re most comfortable with!
1) Loose-leaf sheets vs. Notebooks
One of the first dilemmas anyone aiming to become a good note-taker faces is: how exactly will I arrange my notes? Two common options would be loose-leaf sheets (meaning individual sheets of paper, like lined foolscap paper) and notebooks. While this may seem trivial, your choice will indeed impact upon how useful your notes are to you later.
There are pros and cons to using both loose-leaf sheets and notebooks. Before you make your choice, though, keep in mind the following:
If you use loose-leaf sheets, they must be filed in regularly. Only then will you be able to find all your notes easily when you need to do revision.
If you plan to use notebooks, it is advisable to use separate notebooks for each subject. Three pages of chemistry followed by two pages of geography, all in one book, will confuse and distract you when you reread your notes.
I personally prefer using loose-leaf sheets, because multiple notebooks can be heavy to carry around. I’m also free to file my notes in any order I want – I can keep them with all my other worksheets for a subject, in one file. Loose-leaf sheets are also a “safe” option, because if you have the bad luck to misplace one set of notes, they can be replaced easily. All you’d need to do is borrow them from a good friend and make a copy.
With notebooks, if your book goes missing, so do all the notes you’ve put so much effort into taking! Yet, some people like notebooks because they’re compact. All your notes are in one place, possibly making revision easier. Ultimately, the choice is up to you, though.
2) Breaking the monotony
Now comes the fun part, believe it or not! Now that you’ve made your choice and gone out to buy some fresh new notebooks or shiny new files, how are you going to make sure you don’t get bored staring at them for a full year? From my experience, a few months into the year, that dull red notebook cover can start to get quite yawn-inducing.
Fortunately, this can be easily solved with a bit of creativity and imagination. Every year when I clean my room before school starts, I always save some old magazines. I like to decorate my notebooks for the coming year with colourful pictures and cool graphics. There are loads of ways to do this. You could paste your favourite inspirational quotes and poems on your literature file’s cover. Or spruce up your physics notebook with pictures of Einstein and Newton!
Decorating your books and files can really go a long way in brightening up your note-taking experience. When you like how your notebook looks, you’re also more likely to put in the effort to take good, neat notes. Keep in mind that while the pictures should be fun, they should not be overly distracting – there’s not much use in a picture of your favourite band if you’ll end up gazing at them when you should be revising! Finally, label your notebooks and files clearly with your name, class and school so that they can be returned to you if they go missing.
3) Strategies to practise in class
These are some simple tips that you can try practising when taking notes in class, especially when there’s a lot to write and very little time. With some time and practice, they will come naturally and should make note-taking a less stressful experience!
Don’t strive for perfection in your handwriting.
Your notes are for you to revise from, and so long as you can read them fine, they do not have to be up to the mark your teacher would usually expect from you. Even slightly lowering your expectations for your penmanship’s quality can help you work a lot faster. If messy writing bothers you greatly, you can copy them out again or type them out at home – at the very least this helps you revise what you’ve learnt!
Develop a system of shorthand and use abbreviations (shortened forms of words).
Again, it is content that is most important in most instances of note-taking. You can speed up your note-taking by using acronyms for lengthy terms that are repeated often in a topic – for example, write “NaOH” instead of “sodium hydroxide.” You’ll also find that ‘chat speak’ can be useful here! On occasion, I’ve written “your” as yr and “the” as é in my notes. So long as you don’t find these creeping into your written work, it should be alright to use them.
Collaborate!
It’s often said that two heads are better than one, and that can apply here too. If a teacher says you have just a minute to copy points off a very wordy slide, work with the classmate you sit next to and split the work – you may wish to copy the first three points, while she takes down the last three. After the lesson, you can take a few minutes to exchange notes. This way, you don’t miss out on any information given.
Make a note of questions or doubts in a margin.
Sometimes you may not understand what your teacher says, or wish to clarify a point. However, your teacher may not wish to be interrupted while speaking, or you may feel shy to speak up in class. I’ve been in the situation before where I’ve had a really important question, but forgotten it by the end of the lesson because I hadn’t taken note of it! When taking notes, put a question mark next to points you don’t quite understand, so that you won’t forget to ask your teacher about them later.
Take down just the main points.
If all else fails, just take down the main points on a slide. Look out for words or phrases that are in bold, underlined or in a different colour – these are likely the key pieces of information your teacher wants to give you. Sometimes your teacher may emphasise on or repeat a point – such points may also be important.
If the information you need to take down is from a book or website, your teacher would probably have included the title or web address on her slide. Copy this down so that you can check it up in your own time. Alternatively, at an appropriate interval, politely request your teacher to flash a slide again or ask for the information to be repeated. Your teacher is very likely to oblige, but in case not, don’t hesitate to ask a friend!
4) Revision tips
When taking notes in class, you may not be able to fully absorb and understand every piece of information given. This is why it is essential that you look over your notes again after lessons.
Spend some time at home rereading your notes, taking your time to go through them. Besides serving as an opportunity for you to process everything you were taught, you can also identify any mistakes in your notes, or any points you might have missed out on.
As mentioned above, if your notes are very illegible, you may wish to rewrite them while the information is still fresh in your mind. If you have a computer and word-processing software, you could even type them out. Having legible notes makes revision a great deal easier. You also get an added benefit – when you reproduce your notes, you will be reading them closely again, and this will help you remember them better. This has worked quite well for me as a revision strategy.
Finally, keep in mind that while it is a very good habit to reread the notes you’ve taken in class, it is of course essential to also do additional reading and regular practice. All the best with your future note-taking endeavours!
