Julia Lange, NHS Member, IB Student
Hey! My name is Julia Lange. I'm a junior in IB and an NHS member. Here are my two cents about taking organized and useful notes. Note-taking is one of the most important skills students need to do well in school.
As a general rule, take notes on anything you don't already know! First, a few basics to get started:
Hand-written notes
Write with a pencil/pen that feels smooth to write with
You should also have 1-2 highlighters. For history, consider color-coding names in one color, dates in a different color, and so on.
I like wide-ruled paper best because I have large handwriting, but if you write small, college-ruled paper should work. Make sure you have more than enough paper; never try to cram notes into a small area!
DO NOT use loose leaf paper. You will lose it. sorry :/
Use this method if you know you have legible handwriting!
Keep a table of contents in the front of your notebook. List the date, title of notes, and page number for each lesson. This will make it easier to find specific information when studying.
Digital
If you have a tablet with a stylus, this is a perfect way to take notes. Make sure you practice with the software before going to class; you don't want to get behind because you can't figure out how to erase!
Google Docs is sometimes the most effective way to take notes. This is not ideal for math and science notes because it's very difficult to type equations. Only use this method if you are a fast typer!
Use Google Drawings to create simple, quick diagrams or flowcharts. Don't be afraid to search for images to make your notes easier to understand for yourself.
Keep your Google Drive organized. Have a folder for every class, and every time you create a new document, put it in that class's folder right away.
TITLE EVERY DOCUMENT. No more "Untitled document"s in your Drive. Again, it will be impossible to find anything if you forget to do this.
Organizational styles
Here are two different common methods used to take notes. I personally use more outline-style notes, but Cornell notes can be helpful to study from! Both styles can be used by hand and on the computer.
Outline-Style Notes
General topic 1 (repeat as many times as needed)
Sub-topic 1
Vocabulary, facts, etc relating to sub-topic 1
commentary/notes relating to the above point
commentary/notes relating to the above point
Cornell Notes
Math Notes
In math class, notes may seem unimportant as long as you understand sample problems. But when you're studying for a test/final exam, you will need to go back and reference your notes. Here are a few tips:
Math is where a table of contents in my notebook helps me the most
Put a title, like "12.2: Pythagorean Theorem", at the top of each page so you can find your notes.
VOCAB IS IMPORTANT! Every time your teacher says a new word, or words are bold/highlighted in the textbook, write down that term and definition. Highlight it in your notes, too!
For sample problems, write down the problem and how to solve it. I find it helpful to give myself a step-by-step guide to solving a particular type of problem.
Keep a page in the back of your notebook for formulas. Every time you are given a new formula, write it down and highlight it. After class, you can copy it onto your formula page for easy access later.
Science/History Notes
These classes can be a toss-up between taking notes on the computer versus by hand. Personally, I take notes by hand and then type them up before the test so I remember them better. Here are a few tips:
Draw! Diagrams are super important in science to help understand concepts. You don't have to be an artist to draw charts, energy flow diagrams, and more.
Use arrows! From the water cycle to the Great Depression, science and history have a lot of cause and effect "processes" to learn. Writing down the different steps in order with numbers and arrows helps me remember these relationships.
Quizlet: these are classes with a ton of vocabulary that you will need to learn and apply. Try and keep a Quizlet of all new terms throughout the unit so you can go back and study them at the end.
There is usually not enough time to write both what's on the slide and what the teacher says; it's more important for you to write what the teacher says than what's on the PowerPoint. Sounds a little backwards, no? The reason for this is you can always go back and look at the PowerPoint, but you can't go back and listen to what the teacher says all over again.
English/Foreign Language Notes
Quizlet is my saving grace for vocabulary words. Again, try to be adding vocab to a Quizlet throughout the unit rather than waiting until the end.
Write down grammar or writing concepts as they are being taught. A lot of times, teachers won't have PowerPoints for everything in these classes. Try and write down at least the names of the concepts they are teaching, so you can go back and learn more later.
Taking notes is a skill, and one that will only get better with practice. You can do this!!
-Comment what note taking methods you use!-
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