Note-Taking Series Part 2: Avoid Taking Notes Verbatim

Question: If taking notes verbatim has diminishing returns for students, what should they do instead? Answer: With a little bit of preparation ahead of time, learn to match the method to the desired outcome.

By Patricia Roy — September 6, 2022

Tags: college life, general info, high school, notes, notetaking

Note-Taking Series Part 2: Avoid Taking Notes Verbatim

Question: If taking notes verbatim has diminishing returns for students, what should they do instead?

Answer: With a little bit of preparation ahead of time, learn to match the method to the desired outcome.

Three possible, desirable outcomes for your notes are:

To recall facts or steps in a process
To analyze for test preparation or to develop an inquiry
To brainstorm or to gather information from a group

This article discusses three methods for taking notes that match these outcomes. Of course, you can blend methods or use different techniques. As long as it works for you, it works!

Not a Method, Just Common Sense

First and foremost, LABEL your pages for each note-taking session or class meeting with the subject or course title, date, and topic. From my observations, the absence of this labeling is the most consistent flaw in student notes. If you cannot tell at a glance which class the notes are for and what they are about, you might be wasting your time taking them in the first place. Simply labeling will save you time and headaches when you study.

The Outline Method: Just the Facts, Ma'am

When I was in grammar school, we learned the outline method; maybe you did too. This method uses a strict, logical hierarchy to organize the topics within a reading or lecture, identifying main points and their evidence, examples, or subtopics. In this method, the subtopics are nested underneath each main point, using indentation to demonstrate the levels of relationships. The deeper the indentation, the more specific the information. This kind of notetaking often uses text editors' same numbering or bullet systems. It looks like this:

History 101: September 12, 2022

Famous Generals of European History

I. Alexander the Great (336-323 BCE)

A. Early life

Born in Macedonia, Greece
Son of King Philip II of Macedon
Nephew to Leonidas
Student of Aristotle

B. Military life

Overthrew Persian Empire
Etc.

II. Julius Caesar

III. Napoleon Bonaparte

The outline method is relatively easy to learn, and you may find that many teachers already organize their visuals this way, providing you with subject headings on the board or screen. Textbook chapters, encyclopedia entries, and PowerPoint slides also tend to use the same organizational principle, which makes this style a good one for taking notes on any of those texts.

Outlining is less useful for math, which is often focused on problem-solving, or discussion-style courses in which groups might share ideas or brainstorm, popcorn-style. Outlining is best when the information easily fits under headings and is presented in a sequentially.

The Cornell Method: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

The Cornell Method is very popular because it is essentially an upgrade to the outline method. Cornell notes have three parts: the cue, the notes or record, and the summary. The page should look like this:

To take Cornell notes:

Set up the page to look something like the image above.
Take notes within the notes section, writing only the gist and important details, using shorthand as needed.
At the end of the session or class, as soon as you can, reduce the main points of each page of notes in the bottom section or summary.
When you review these notes for a quiz or assignment, use the cue section to reflect and recall your learning, writing questions, terms, or comments for follow-up, preferably near the relevant notes.

The main advantage of the Cornell Method is that it gives you space and incentive to reflect on what you’ve learned. One drawback is that if you don't do the reflections in the summary and cue, your notes might have a lot of wasted space.

Mind-Mapping: Visualizing the Big Picture

Mind-mapping is one of the best note-taking methods for brainstorming due to its non-linear structure. It's also the hardest one to use in a digital setting.

With mind-mapping, you write notes as topics and ideas in boxes or circles, using lines to connect related topics visually. You can use colors or images to help delineate categories or subtopics. It might look something like this:

I like mind-mapping when planning a project, ideating different solutions to a problem, or working with others. Mind-mapping is also an easy method to use when listening to a lecture if you don't already know what the structure of the presentation is going to be and there are no other visual aids. With that said, however, this method can turn into a mess—especially if the material is very unfamiliar. That isn't necessarily bad because messy notes can be an effective first step to gathering great ideas. Consider reorganizing what you have later, which may or may not meet your needs.

These tips give you some ideas for bring new vigor to your note-taking game. The Cornell Notetaking Method and mind mapping help you to take effective notes while also appealing to various learning styles. If you want to learn more about effective notetaking, make sure to check out Tricia's full three-part notetaking series.

Patricia Roy

Patricia Roy is a writer and professor who has helped students succeed for over 25 years. She started her career as a high school English teacher and then moved into higher education at Tuition Rewards member school, Lasell University in Newton, Massachusetts. Her practical guidance and enthusiasm motivate and inspire students to fearlessly explore their own passions. Professor Roy is also a freelance writer and published poet.

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