6 NOTE TAKING SYSTEMS YOU SHOULD MASTER

What should we understand by note taking

Note taking systems are part of the practice of writing pieces of information, often in an informal or unstructured manner. One major specific type of note taking is the practice of writing in shorthand, which can allow large amounts of information to be put on paper very quickly. Notes are frequently written in notebooks, though any available piece of paper can suffice in many circumstances—some people are especially fond of Post-It notes, for instance.

Note taking is one of the major skills that you should master, either as a student, a journalist or even a researcher. Many different forms are used to structure information and make it easier to find later. It is important to note that, the way you take your note, might play a major role in your success in their use, academically for instance, or for any intended purpose.

Systems of Note taking

Cornell Notes

When using the Cornell note-taking system a column of white space is left to the left side of the notes that are written as they come up. Questions or key words based on the notes are written in the white space after the session has ended. The Cornell method requires no rewriting and yet results in systematic notes.

Charting

Charting is creating a graph with symbols, or table with rows and columns. Graphs and flow-charts are useful for documenting a process or event. Tables are useful for facts and values

Outlining

While notes can be written freely, many people structure their writing in an outline. A common system consists of headings that use Roman numerals, letters of the alphabet, and the common Arabic numeral system at different levels. A typical structure would be:

1. First main topic

1. Subtopic
2. Detail
3. Detail
4. Subtopic
5. Second main topic
   1. Subtopic
   2. etc.

However, this sort of structure has limitations in written form since it is difficult to go back and insert more information. In a way to make  writing so comfortable,  some adaptive systems are used for paper-and-pen insertions, such as using the back side of the preceding page in a spiral to note insertions.

Mapping

Here, ideas are written in a tree structure, with lines connecting them together. Mind maps are commonly drawn with a central point, purpose or goal in the centre of the page and then branching outward to identify all the ideas connected to that goal. Colours, small graphics and symbols are often used to help to visualize the information more easily. This note taking method is most common among visual learners and is a core practice of many accelerated learning techniques. It is also used for planning and writing essays.

Sentence method

Every new thought is written as a new line. Speed is the most desirable attribute of this method because not much thought about formatting is needed to form the layout and create enough space for more notes. Also, you must number each new thought.

SQ3R System of note taking

SQ3R is a method for taking notes from written material, though it might be better classed as method of reading and gaining understanding. The term itself, is one of Cornell note taking techniques, which stands for Survey – Question – Read – Recite – Review (or Re-skim).

In order to use this method effectively, the reading material is skimmed to produce a list of headings, which are then converted into questions. These questions are then considered whilst the text is read to provide motivation for what is being covered. Notes are written under sections headed by the questions as each of the material’s sections is read. One then makes a summary from memory, and reviews the notes.