43 Strategies for Effective Note Taking

Note-taking is not just about writing down everything that you hear or read. There are a number of common note-taking strategies that all post-secondary students should become familiar with in order to master the main goal of note-taking, which is to succinctly and efficiently summarize core concepts in an organized manner.

Digital vs. Hand Written Notes

As you begin your classes in post-secondary, you’ll have the freedom to decide whether to create digital notes on a device or hand-write them on paper. Both options come with their advantages and disadvantages, so it’s up to you to figure out which method is right for you!

Digital Notes

You may choose to digitize your notes on a laptop or tablet using programs like Google Drive or Microsoft OneNote.

Hand Written Notes

The alternative to creating digital notes is hand-writing them using pens, pencils, highlighters, and, of course, paper.

Your decision to type or hand-write your notes will ultimately depend on your needs, strengths, and learning style. It may be useful to test out both methods and see which one you are more comfortable with! Or, you may decide to use both methods in different classes or contexts. After some trial and error, you’ll find a note-taking system that caters to your individual learning practices and goals.

Creating Organized Notes

One of the keys to creating effective notes is keeping them neat and organized. Without proper organization, the notes you take for your different courses quickly become scattered and lost.

Proper Summarizing

As already mentioned, the main purpose of note-taking is to turn your lecture/reading material into succinct yet meaningful concept summaries. This involves learning how to extract core ideas and translating them into your own words. There are many tips to keep in mind as you begin summarizing.

1. When possible, use symbols, abbreviations, and acronyms in your notes
2. Decode presented information into your own words and phrases rather than typing/writing out exactly what is written/spoken
3. Use bullet points to get your ideas across; don’t worry about perfect grammar and proper sentences. The point of notes is for you to understand the idea, not for it to be a flawless piece of writing
4. Include little annotation notes which serve as tips to help you understand or practice a concept
5. Some instructors may provide copies of the notes/slides ahead of time with all or some of the important information listed. You can follow along, highlighting or underlining important points and adding additional information as needed.
6. It’s impossible to write/type every single word your instructor says or every sentence in a reading. Focus on repeated terms, phrases, and definitions. When lecturing/presenting, your instructor will emphasize what information is most important to process. Remember – quality information over quantity!