Note Taking

Introduction

Note Taking is one of the most useful ways to collect and organise information from a source or lecture. However, it is also a helpful way of processing and retaining the information. There are many note taking methods that students can utilise, and it is often a matter of finding a best fit. Below are three to try.

Cornell 

One of the most popular and effective methods, the Cornell Note Taking Method, is often used by secondary and tertiary students in lectures, tutorials and viewings/readings. The focus of this method is to condense the information, assisting with easy recall.  

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Outlining

Another commonly used method for taking notes is Outlining. While this is one of the simplest ways to organise information from a source, it can also be limiting. Be mindful that this method may not work for STEM subjects, and can be tricky if the source or lecture doesn't follow a structure of its own. 

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Charting

Charting is most useful when the information is comparing. The purpose of this note taking method is to create an easy-to-read table of information, using rows and columns. Some examples of where this would be beneficial is when analysing different periods of history, political systems, themes/genres, methods of inquiry, etc. 

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