How I Take Effective Notes

Taking notes is so important because your notes are how you study, refer to things from class, and just generally hold information, but note taking is not usually taught in school. Personally, notebooks are irreplaceable. I use my notes to help with homework and to study for any test, quiz, or exam. I have a very meticulous and methodical method to take notes that I believe is a key reason for my success in school.

This is How I Take Effective Notes:

Have a place for your notes. I always make sure to have a different notebook for each class. Primarily, I do this to keep all of the information from a class in one place so that I don’t lose any important information, but it is also helpful to separate classes into different notebooks so that you can refer back in chronological order and so that each class is compartmentalized in your head (it’s very overwhelming to be thinking of every class and all of the things you’ve learned at once). Having a separate notebook, or even a distinct section of a binder, will help with organization, both literally and mentally.

Take your space. Sometimes, I see students try to cram their notes onto just one page and write very small in the margins. This is completely unnecessary and not at all beneficial. By cramming your notes, the page becomes disorganized and I find that messy notes are harder to use in the future. Don’t be afraid to write on the back of pages and even use multiple sheets in order to keep your notes neat, it will be worth it down the road.

Create a system. Note-taking, in my opinion, must be personalized to be effective. No matter how you choose to take notes, be sure to be consistent in the way that you record your information. For example, all of my vocabulary terms are highlighted and and arrow points to the definition, all of my example problems are boxed, and each of my pages receives a title. Not only will the act of categorizing your notes help you to remember what you’ve written because you have thought about how to write it, but it will be easier to find in the future.

Refer back. Notes are wonderful tools to help study, but only if you use them. Once you have taken systematic, organized notes, use them to remember everything you have learned and to review anything you need clarified. Continue to read and use your notes as the class progresses and be sure to add relevant information.

For examples of my notes, see below:

As always, leave a comment with questions, thoughts, and suggestions for the future!