3 Effective Note-Taking Methods

April 7, 2023 byElizabeth Preston

6 min to read

A teenage girl is laying on a couch with her laptop and taking notes

Do you diligently take notes in class but find they are little help when studying for a test? Or do you take very few notes because you’re not sure how or even why they’re so important?

Here are some tips and some of the best note-taking techniques to help you (or your student) become a master note-taker—whether you favor pen and paper or computer. Let’s start with the following:

Proper Note-Taking Format

Taking great notes is about helping you to get organized, stay focused, remember key points, and study effectively for tests. It’s not about recording every word a teacher says or everything an expert writes. If you try that, you’ll be more focused on taking notes than on understanding the material.

Here are some note-taking tips for high school and middle school students to make note-taking as pain-free and productive as possible.

Get Organized

Write the course name, lesson topic, and date in your page header to keep notes organized.
Paraphrase only the most important information to stay focused. Include:
- Key points, dates, concepts, and formulas
- Definitions, examples, and graphs
- Connections or references to previous lessons or other subjects
- Important people

Stay Focused

Avoid writing complete sentences, so you can save time and stay focused on the material. Instead, effective note-taking methods include using short phrases, symbols, contractions, abbreviations, or your own personal shorthand. This includes using shorthand for long names or concepts (e.g., “Benjamin Franklin” could become “BF” in your notes). Common shortcuts include:
- b/c = because
- w/o = without
- + or & = and
- < = less than or > = greater than
Avoid correcting small spelling and grammar mistakes. This will slow you down, and you can always correct those aspects later if you wish.

Study Effectively

Highlight any point the teacher, text, or video repeats. Repetition is your clue that it’s important.
Leave blank spaces between main ideas so you can insert additional information or draw conclusions later.
Review your notes within 24 hours after taking them to ensure you understand what you’ve written and note any questions you may have about the material to ask your teacher.

Three Effective Note-Taking Methods

People have different learning styles and different preferences for taking notes. So, students need to find the method or combination of methods that works best for them. Here are three of the most effective methods to take notes as well as some downloadable templates and examples.

1. Cornell Method

Developed by a Cornell University education professor in the 1940s, the Cornell Method simplifies note-taking and test preparation. This method encourages the note-taker to be an active listener and critical thinker. Here’s how it works:
Format your page as shown in the example below, or download a Connections Academy® template.

Write your notes in the right-hand “Notes” column and focus on the most important information covered—key concepts, dates, definitions, etc.
Now, use the left-hand column to restate the notes in the right-hand column as questions or short key phrases. These restatements may take the following form:
- Why/when/who did... ?
- Why is it important that... ?
- Define __________________.
In the “Summary” section at the bottom, boil your notes down into two or three sentences that capture the major lesson theme(s).
Review and edit your notes by the end of the next day to identify any outstanding questions.

When you’re finished, your notes should look similar to this:

An example of the Cornell Notes Example with sample notes from a World History class

By restating your notes in question or key phrase format, you can deepen your understanding of the material and retain more information. As a bonus, you’ll have a ready-to-use study guide for tests. Simply cover your notes on the right and try to answer the questions on the left. You can also recruit your Learning Coach to ask you the questions in a quick quiz.

2. Mapping Method

If you’re more of a visual learner, then the mapping method may be right for you since it relies on graphics and structures to connect key ideas. In this method you:

Start with a key phrase that identifies the main topic. Place that phrase in a box or bubble in the center of your page. This method works best if your page is in landscape orientation.
Now, draw a line from that topic box and write down a phrase that summarizes the first main fact or idea covered. Draw a box or circle around that phrase.
For each fact or detail directly related to that idea, write a phrase summarizing it, circle or box the phrase, and draw a line back to the idea box.
Repeat these steps for each main idea covered in the lesson, textbook, or video.

When you’re finished, it should look something like the example below from a lesson on the Inca civilization. You can also use color-coding to distinguish between types of information such as dates, people, examples, definitions, or theories.

Even if you don’t wish to use the mapping method for note-taking, you may want to try it as a study aid. For example, after reading a chapter, close your book and map out the main ideas and supporting details you can recall. It’s more fun than writing a summary, and the process helps dislodge information lurking in the back of your memory.

The mapping method is also a great way to start brainstorming and organizing essays as well as breaking through writer’s block.

An example of World History notes about the Inca Civilization using the mapping method

3. Outline or Bullet Method

If you like a highly structured approach or you’re already skilled at outlining, then the outline/bullet method may be ideal for you. This is a particularly effective note-taking technique for those who think linearly and are detail-oriented.

Using indents, numbers and letters, or indents and bullets, this note-taking method organizes your notes in a logical, easy-to-scan hierarchy. With the outline method, you:

List the first main idea or theme
a. Indent the next line and add the first point related to that main idea as letter a.
b. Continue adding other related points as letter b, c, and so on. You can use numbers instead if you would prefer.
Repeat the above for each main idea and related facts that follow.

When you’re done, your notes should look something like this:

An example of World History notes using the Outline Note Taking example

If you don’t want to bother with numbers and letters, then follow the same format and just substitute bullets for any numbers or letters.

What makes the outline method an effective note-taking technique is its ability to be customized to the student and how easily it lends itself to organizing one’s thoughts.

Whether you choose one note-taking method or a combination of the three note-taking methods, it’s important to remember that each needs to be practiced and individualized to each student. With some time and effort, though, you will be able to find the best note-taking method for you.