Why note-taking matters
Good notes do two jobs: they keep you active while you read or listen, and they give you a study tool for later. The goal is never to transcribe everything — it's to capture the main ideas in your own words and organize them so you can actually use them.
Main note-taking methods
There's no single right way; students should try a few and keep what fits the class:
- Cornell — notes on the right, cue questions on the left, a summary at the bottom (built for review)
- Outline — headings and indented details (great for structured lectures)
- Mapping / webbing — visual connections (great for concepts and relationships)
- Sketchnotes — words plus simple drawings (great for visual thinkers)
- Charting — columns for comparing (great for data and processes)
Handwriting vs typing
Research suggests handwriting notes often leads to better understanding — you can't write fast enough to copy word for word, so you're forced to summarize, which is the learning. Typing is faster and searchable but tempts students to transcribe mindlessly. Either works if the notes are genuinely active.
Notes by subject
Different subjects reward different notes: math and science benefit from worked examples and steps; history and English from main-idea outlines and connections; vocabulary-heavy classes from term-definition charts. The method should fit the material.
Notes only work if you use them
The single biggest mistake is taking notes and never revisiting them. Review within a day, turn headings into questions, and quiz yourself from the cues — that's what converts notes into memory. Notes you never reopen were a waste of the class.
How families can help
- Ask to see their notes and how they use them
- Suggest turning notes into self-quiz questions
- Encourage summarizing in their own words, not copying
- Help them find a method that fits, not the 'perfect' one
Related resources
See Memorization, Reading Comprehension, and the Study Skills toolkit.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it better to handwrite or type notes? Handwriting often helps understanding because it forces summarizing. Typing is faster and searchable. The key is taking active notes in your own words, not verbatim.
- What is the Cornell method? A page split into a cue column, a notes area, and a summary at the bottom. The cues and summary make it excellent for later self-quizzing.
- How do I stop writing down everything? Listen or read for the main idea first, then capture it in a short phrase in your own words. If you're transcribing, you're not thinking.
- Should notes look different for different subjects? Yes. Math and science reward worked steps, history and English reward main-idea outlines, and vocabulary-heavy classes reward term-definition charts.
- What should students do with notes after class? Review them within a day, turn headings into questions, and quiz themselves. Notes only build memory if they're used, not just filed.