How to Take Better Notes: Methods That Actually Work

How to Take Better Notes: Methods That Actually Work

Good notes are the foundation of effective studying. Bad notes? They're a waste of time — both when you write them and when you try to review them. Here are the note-taking methods backed by research, plus practical tips to make your notes actually useful.

Why Most People Take Bad Notes

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Related: Learn more about How to Take Better Notes: The Ultimate Guide to Note-Taking Methods

The default approach — writing down everything the professor says, word for word — is one of the least effective note-taking strategies. Research by Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014) in Psychological Science found that students who took longhand notes outperformed laptop note-takers, not because of the medium, but because longhand forced them to process and summarize rather than transcribe.

The problem with verbatim notes:

• No processing: Transcription bypasses understanding
• Too much information: You can't find what matters during review
• Passive activity: Your brain is on autopilot
• False security: Having complete notes feels productive but doesn't equal learning

The 5 Best Note-Taking Methods

1. The Cornell Method

Best for: Lecture notes, textbook reading, any structured learning

The Cornell Method divides your page into three sections:

• Right column (largest): Main notes during the lecture
• Left column (narrow): Key questions and cue words (added after the lecture)
• Bottom section: Summary of the page in your own words

How to use it:

1. During the lecture, take notes in the right column. Focus on main ideas, not verbatim transcription.
2. Within 24 hours, review your notes and write questions/cues in the left column that correspond to the notes.
3. Write a 2–3 sentence summary at the bottom.
4. To study, cover the right column and try to answer the questions using only the left column cues.

Why it works:

The Cornell Method forces three engagements with the material: initial note-taking, question generation (which requires processing), and summarization. The built-in study system (cover and recall) leverages active recall.

Research from Cornell University (naturally) showed that students using this method scored 20% higher on exams compared to students using unstructured notes.

2. Mind Mapping

Best for: Brainstorming, understanding relationships, visual learners

Mind mapping is a visual note-taking method where you place the main topic in the center and branch out with subtopics, details, and connections.

How to use it:

1. Write the main topic in the center of a blank page
2. Draw branches for major subtopics
3. Add sub-branches for details and examples
4. Use colors, icons, and images to differentiate and emphasize
5. Draw connections between related concepts across branches

Why it works:

Mind maps mirror how your brain organizes information — associatively, not linearly. A study in Medical Education found that mind mapping improved long-term recall by 32% compared to traditional linear notes for conceptual material.

Limitations:

Mind maps are less effective for sequential or heavily detailed content. They work best for understanding the big picture and relationships between concepts.

3. The Outline Method

Best for: Well-structured lectures, textbook chapters, organized content

The most common method after verbatim transcription. Use indentation to show hierarchy:

```
I. Main Topic
A. Subtopic

1. Detail
2. Detail

B. Subtopic

1. Detail

```

How to use it:

1. Write main topics at the left margin
2. Indent subtopics
3. Further indent details and examples
4. Use consistent formatting (Roman numerals, letters, numbers, or bullets)

Why it works:

The outline structure forces you to identify hierarchical relationships in real time. This processing — deciding what's a main point vs. a supporting detail — enhances understanding.

When it fails:

Outline notes become problematic when lectures are disorganized or jump between topics. If the speaker doesn't follow a clear structure, you'll spend more energy organizing than learning.

4. The Charting Method

Best for: Comparing concepts, categories with multiple attributes, study review

Create a table where rows are items and columns are attributes you're comparing.

Example:

Why it works:

Charting forces comparison, which is a deep processing activity. You can't fill in a comparison chart without understanding each item and its attributes.

When to use it:

During review, not usually during live lectures (unless the content is explicitly comparative). It's excellent for converting existing notes into study materials.

5. The Sentence Method

Best for: Fast-paced lectures, unfamiliar material, initial capture

Write each new piece of information as a separate numbered sentence on a new line.

How to use it:

1. Each new fact, idea, or point gets its own numbered line
2. Don't worry about organization during the lecture
3. After class, organize sentences into groups or categories
4. Highlight key sentences and add connections

Why it works:

When lectures move fast and you can't process structure in real time, the sentence method ensures you capture everything. Organization happens later, during a second processing pass.

Digital vs. Handwritten Notes

The Research

Mueller and Oppenheimer's landmark 2014 study found that handwritten notes led to better conceptual understanding because the physical constraint of writing speed forces summarization. However, more recent research (2021) suggests the medium matters less than the strategy — students who actively process while typing perform as well as those writing by hand.

Handwritten Notes: Pros

• Forces summarization and processing
• Better spatial memory ("I wrote it in the top left of page 3")
• No digital distractions
• Works during internet outages and low-battery moments

Digital Notes: Pros

• Searchable
• Easy to reorganize and edit
• Shareable
• Integrates with other tools
• Can include links, images, and multimedia

The Best Approach

Use handwritten notes during lectures for better initial processing. Digitize key content afterward for searchability and organization. This gives you the processing benefit of handwriting and the utility of digital.

How to Make Your Notes Actually Useful for Studying

Taking notes is only half the equation. Here's how to turn them into effective study tools:

Review Within 24 Hours

The forgetting curve is steep — you'll lose 50–70% of new information within 24 hours without review. A brief review session the same day dramatically improves retention.

Add Questions to Your Notes

After each lecture, write 3–5 questions that your notes answer. Use these for active recall practice later. This is the core of the Cornell Method, but you can apply it to any note-taking style.

Summarize Each Page/Section

Write a 2–3 sentence summary. If you can't summarize it, you didn't understand it — which is valuable information.

Convert Notes to Audio

One underutilized strategy: turn your notes into audio content for review. Tools like Superlore can transform your notes into podcast-style discussions that you listen to during commutes or exercise. This adds a review pass without requiring desk time, and audio processing uses different neural pathways than reading, strengthening memory through multimodal encoding.

Create Flashcards From Key Concepts

For factual material (definitions, formulas, dates), convert your notes into flashcards for spaced repetition. Anki and Quizlet are both effective.

Connect to Prior Knowledge

Add notes connecting new material to things you already know. "This is like [concept from last chapter]" or "This contradicts what we learned about [topic]." These connections build the mental web that supports deep understanding.

Common Note-Taking Mistakes

1. Trying to Write Everything Down

If you're writing every word, you're transcribing, not learning. Focus on main ideas, key terms, and connections.

2. Using Only One Color

Color coding helps your brain organize and prioritize information. Use:

• One color for main ideas
• Another for supporting details
• A third for questions or connections
• Highlighting for exam-worthy material

3. Never Reviewing Your Notes

Notes you never review are wasted effort. Schedule brief review sessions using spaced repetition principles.

4. Perfect Notes, No Understanding

Some students spend more time making notes beautiful than understanding the content. Notes are tools, not art projects. Prioritize comprehension over aesthetics.

5. Not Leaving Space

Cram your page full and there's no room for additions, connections, or review questions. Leave margins and space between sections.

Note-Taking for Different Contexts

Lectures

• Use Cornell or Sentence method
• Focus on main ideas, not details you can find in the textbook
• Note questions that arise — look them up later
• Record the lecture (with permission) as backup

Textbook Reading

• Use Outline or Charting method
• Read a section first, then take notes (don't take notes while reading for the first time)
• Focus on what's different from or additional to lecture content
• Note page numbers for easy reference

Meetings

• Use a modified Cornell: notes on the right, action items on the left
• Focus on decisions, action items, and deadlines
• Note who said what for important points
• Send summary to participants within 24 hours

Self-Study

• Mind maps work well for exploring new topics
• Convert audio content (podcasts, Superlore discussions) into visual notes
• Use the Feynman Technique: take notes as if you're explaining to someone with no background

Building a Note-Taking System

Step 1: Choose Your Primary Method

Pick one method as your default. Cornell is the safest choice for most students.

Step 2: Set Up Your Tools

• Handwritten: Get a good notebook with wide margins (or print Cornell templates)
• Digital: Choose one app and stick with it (Notion, Obsidian, OneNote, Apple Notes)
• Hybrid: Use an iPad with Apple Pencil for handwriting benefits with digital organization

Step 3: Create a Review Schedule

• Same day: 10-minute review and add questions
• End of week: 20-minute review of the week's notes
• Before exams: Active recall using questions and summaries

Step 4: Iterate

Your note-taking system should evolve. After each exam, reflect:

• Which notes were most useful for studying?
• What information did you wish you had captured?
• What did you capture that turned out to be unnecessary?

Adjust your approach based on what works.

FAQ

Should I take notes by hand or on a laptop?

Hand-writing forces deeper processing, but digital notes are more searchable and organized. The best compromise: handwrite during lectures, then digitize key content for review.

How do I take notes when the lecturer talks too fast?

Use the Sentence Method for capture, then organize afterward. Also: record the lecture (with permission), use abbreviations, and focus on main ideas rather than details.

Is it better to take notes or just listen?

Both, but not equally. Taking notes (even briefly) improves retention compared to just listening. However, over-noting (trying to transcribe everything) is worse than focused listening with selective notes.

How do I organize notes across multiple classes?

Use one notebook per class (physical) or one folder per class (digital). Date every entry. Create a table of contents or use tags for easy retrieval.

What's the best note-taking app?

There's no universal best. Notion for flexibility, Obsidian for linking and long-term knowledge, OneNote for free-form capture, Apple Notes for simplicity. Choose based on your workflow, not features you'll never use.

Can AI help me take better notes?

AI tools like Otter.ai can transcribe lectures, and AI summarizers can distill long content. Use these as supplements — the act of taking notes yourself is part of the learning process. AI-generated summaries are useful for review, not as a replacement for your own notes.

Conclusion

Better notes aren't about writing more — they're about writing smarter. Choose a method that matches your learning context, review your notes actively, and use them as the foundation for deeper study techniques like active recall and spaced repetition.

Start with the Cornell Method if you're unsure. Practice it for two weeks and assess the results. Your notes should be a tool that makes studying easier — if they're not, your method needs adjustment, not more effort.

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