Importance of Notes

Why should you make notes : Some of the advantage of making notes are :

•    Making notes while attending the class help you concentrate better in the class.

•    Notes making also aid in improving the retention. They help in transferring information from short term to long term memory.

•    Notes helps in revising the contents of the lecture faster. Research says that with the help of personalised notes you can revise a chapter 10 times faster than revising directly from the book.

The Amount of  Notes to Take

There is no limit to the amount of notes to take down. The amount will depend on;

•    The content of the lecture : If the lecture deals with solid facts, laws and principles. It may necessitate a great quantity of notes

•    How familiar you are with the topic: The less familiar you are with the subject, more detailed notes you require. If you are familiar, just an outline of the lecture will suffice

•    Whether the information is readily available in a text- book or else where: If no other source is readily available , complete notes will have to be taken down

Cornell Notes

Cornell Notes is a system of making and using notes that promotes active learning. Before the lecture (or reading) you set up your notebook pages with a vertical line dividing the page roughly 1/4 (left) and 3/4 right. The wider right side is used to make notes, draw graphs and record the important information from the lecture or reading. It’s a good idea to leave a line or two between each major note or piece of information. The left column is used to write questions and keywords that relate to the information recorded on the right. Each major point on the right ought to have a question or keyword on the left. 

Depending on the speed of the professor and the amount of information that needs recording in the right column, you may or may not have time to write the questions and keywords in the left column. If you do, that’s great. If you don’t, then you should fill in the left column as soon as possible, and for sure before the end of the day. The questions and keywords serve an important function. You will be using these to remember the key points in the right column during several practice sessions. 

Once you have the questions and keywords in the left column, you are ready to do a practice session. Use a blank sheet of paper to cover the right column. Now, without peeking, look at the questions and keywords on the left and try to remember the information on the right. Say the answers to yourself, or write them down on the blank sheet. Don’t just say to yourself, “I know that...” You want to be able to repeat or paraphrase the information on the right with good accuracy. If it is information that needs to be perfect (e.g., a formula), then that is what you want. However, if it is information that is more general, then an accurate paraphrase is probably better. Your first practice session should be as soon as possible, ideally right after class if you have a spare period, or in your first break. If you wait too long, you will find that you can’t remember much of the information in the right column. If that’s the case, then you waited too long. As you practice, Keep Score. If you remembered the information accurately and without peeking, then give yourself a tick (check mark) under the question or keyword on the left. If you had to peek or didn’t remember the information very well, give yourself an “X.” 

Spider Notes

This is one of the most effective ways of note making. The final notes should always be in condensed form, at the same time they should include all the important information so as to help in subsequent and final revision before exams.

In spider notes, the primary idea is placed in the centre of the page so that the secondary and tertiary ideas can follow quickly and easily facilitate a harmonious thought process. 

Advantages of Spider Notes over Linear Notes

1.    About 60% time is saved by noting only the relevant words.

2.    About 80% time is saved by reading only relevant words.

3.    About 80% revision time is saved.

4.    About 85% time is saved by not having to search for keywords amongst unnecessary verbiage.

5.    Essential key words are more easily discernible.

6.    Concentration on main issue is enhanced.

7.    Quick and appropriate association is made between the keywords.

8.    The brain finds it easier to accept and remember visually stimulating, multidimensional spiders, rather than monotonous, boring linear notes.