Effective note making: strategies you should follow

When we make notes, there isn’t  right or wrong way. Notes are personal. They are a person’s perception. All notes are different. And that’s the whole point. Notes should help the person that’s taking them understand better and faster.

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So, why am I writing a post about how to make notes? Well, there are some tips you can follow to make your notes next level. They will still be your own individual notes but written in such a way that they will offer you optimum learning.

1. Avoid writing whole sentences. You have trouble catching up with what your teacher/ professor is saying. You end up with half words and can’t make out what you are writing. The whole point of notes is not to write down regular sentences. Instead, you have to identify the key points (staff you think is important) and write those down in list or bullet form.

2. Use just one pen and a pencil. Although it’s very intriguing to have several colored liners and different color pens, it isn’t very practical. It takes much more time and you are unable to keep up with your teacher. On the other hand, write down what you think important information in pen and use the pencil to elaborate on it or note some things you are unsure if they are necessary. While editing your notes at home, you can erase what’s written in pencil which has proven not very significant.

3. Adapt. There isn’t one style of taking notes. It can change according to the subject. The most practical ones call for writing down numbers, formulas and a few words. On the contrary, the theoretical are the ones that have to be confronted with cleverness. If you start writing down every word your professor blurts out, most likely you will develop tendonitis. So, listen carefully and try to write down the gist of it.

4. Make use of symbols and abbreviations. As mentioned before, notes aren’t the same as writing down everything you hear. In order for this method to work, you have to act smart. Use special symbols for words or whole phrases and even abbreviations. In this way, you will be able to write down all the important information without being afraid of not keeping up with your professor’s pace.

These are some tips to help you improve your notes and get better results. If you like this post, share it with your friends. Comment down below and let me know your tips and tricks on taking notes.