☆Note-Taking Methods☆

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Cornell Notes

While reading your textbook most of the information isn’t stored in our long-term memory and is rather vaguely present in our mind. Cornell notes help students not only take notes in an effective way but also avoid passively receiving information. So how exactly do we use Cornell notes? While reading a page in your textbook, come up with multiple questions. These don’t even have to be questions you have, they just have to relate to the content. For example, if there's a paragraph explaining the circadian rhythm in your Psychology textbook, write down in the left column in your notes: what is the circadian rhythm? And then on the right-hand column answer the information without looking at the textbook. Simply recall it from your memory the best you can. And if you have forgotten some information you want to add then feel free to look over the page.

What we must avoid is barfing information onto your notes page. The information will not stick as it is a passive form of studying. An effective way to take your notes is to read through a paragraph or page and then take notes in your own words. By doing this you are creating connections in your brain which will help you better retain the information. You can even close your textbook and then write a question and write your notes to better discipline your note-taking strategy! Cornell notes serve as a tool for students to better their retainment of the information they are taking in and to have that information serve them in a long-term setting.

Outlining

One of the most easy and popular note-taking methods is Outlining, which involves writing concise bullet point notes that summarize study materials. Simply use your bulleted notes to represent topics, indenting your bullet points to take notes on subtopics.

Use Outlining when taking notes on a lecture or class that is clearly structured (however, it may not work for subjects like chemistry and math which might involve formulas and diagrams). This way, you can easily highlight key points and give a clean structure to your notes. You will thank yourself when you reference your notes later on!

Mapping

Mapping is one of the most visual forms of note-taking! It allows you to organize your content into different branches, using bullet points under each branch, and using arrows to establish relationships between topics. At the top of your notes, start with the main topic of your content, and keep dividing into subtopics on the left and right as you go down. You can also intersperse charts, diagrams, and formulas as you create your notes!

Mapping is best used when your class/lecture content is heavy or highly detailed. It's great for visualizing complex information in a concise form, and works well for science subjects like physics and chemistry.

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Reference these Resources for more study-techniques and how you can implement active recall strategies!