Take Fast and Effective Notes

By the time a student reaches junior or senior high, it's imperative that he or she knows how to take notes. Teachers expect students to be notetakers and to take notes at the speed of presentation. But students don't automatically know how to take fast and effective notes. Here is a technique students can use to take notes more accurately and more quickly.

Notebook Paper

Students begin by taking out a clean sheet of notebook paper, college-rule or wide-rule. College-rule is best for older grades, because it offers more lines per page and requires a smaller script. Younger students writing with larger script can use the wide-rule sheets effectively.

Three Column Division

Now students fold the notebook paper page into three sections vertically. If there is a ruler or straight-edge handy, students can simply draw three lines evenly spaced down the length of the paper.

Specific Labels

Next, students label the top of the page with the course and the date. Now that there are three sections, it's time to identify each section. Students label the section on the left, main idea. Students label the section in the middle, details. Students label the final section, picture notes. For consecutive pages, students can abbreviate the sections using the beginning letters for each column or they can discard the labels altogether.

Abbreviations and Symbols

As the teacher instructs the lesson, students take notes but they don't write down every word spoken. Students learn to note theories, definitions, places, names, dates, and key ideas. They also learn to leave off what they already know. And with practice, students learn to write using just necessary words. Writing complete sentences slows the notetaker down. Students learn to abbreviate words and numbers and to use symbols in place of words when possible. For example, a "$" can be used to signify cost, money, or expense, and it writes much faster than words.

Picture Notes

As students hear a main idea, that main idea is written in the left column. As the teacher begins to illustrate the point, students place details in the middle column. As mental pictures come to mind to describe it, students place quick stick-figure pictures next to the details in the third column. Also, if the teacher draws any illustrations on the chalkboard or presents them on a screen, those pictures need to be briefly drawn into that far right column.

Memory Booster

Visual pictures boost memory. When students can't remember words, students can remember images. Students who picture note their classroom notes, usually have better memory of discussions and details. "A picture is worth a thousand words," according to the old adage. Even if there is no time during the lesson to picture note an idea, it pays to get that picture into the column shortly after the lesson when information is fresh. Picture noting key ideas and details adds wonderful memory clues. It's worth the time it takes to make the simple drawing.

Independent Study Tool

The great part about this notetaking technique is that it can become the vehicle for studying the content. Students can quiz right off the notes by folding sections out of the way. With sections out of sight, students can try to recall information from the unseen sections by using the visible sections to form questions.

Group Study Tool

Students can also use the notes when studying in groups to question for details by giving main ideas or question for main ideas by giving details. The picture notations also work well for group or independent studying. Students can look at the illustrations and try to recall main ideas or details of a certain topic.

Technique Origination

This notetaking technique has its roots in the Cornell System of notetaking. Several techniques have branched off the Cornell System, but the principles remain the same. Students note main or key ideas, students note details and definitions, and students add supportive notes in picture form. These general principles work for notetakers who must write information quickly and who want to recall information for testing purposes or practical use.