Taking notes is an important part of your learning.  It will help you to remember new ideas and information long after you have finished reading.  It is easy to think that because you remember and understand at the time you will retain this information.

As you take notes you are developing skills in filtering information and discarding the stuff that is not as important.

Here are some hints to help you:

• Do not write everything down.  The main points are sufficient and you will quickly learn how to filter out the important information.  Concentrate on the main message and key arguments.

• Use key words or short sentences rather than writing sentences in full.

• Use your own words.  You will understand it much more easily when you review it later.  Do not quote the writer word for word.

• Keep your notes similar – do not go changing styles and abbreviations that you commonly use. 

• Keep the notes brief and do not give full descriptions or explanations. Include facts and formulas, but avoid examples and anecdotes if possible.

• Shortly after you have taken the notes, go back and review them.  Check spelling and anything that is unclear so you can understand it later.  You can add extra information and correct any bad spelling or anything that is unclear.

• Review your notes regularly. This is the best way to achieve lasting memory. 

A mind map is a graphical way to represent ideas and concepts. It is a visual thinking tool that helps with structuring information, enabling you to better analyze, comprehend, synthesize, recall and generate new ideas. Mind mapping is a very effective way of taking notes as it uses images, colour and connections between ideas.

Just as in every great idea, its power lies in its simplicity.

What can we use mind maps for:

• Note taking

• Brainstorming (individually or in groups)

• Problem solving

• Studying and memorization

• Planning

• Researching and consolidating information from multiple sources

• Presenting information

• Gaining insight on complex subjects

• Jogging your creativity

Creating mind maps

In his books on mind maps, author Tony Buzan gives the following instructions for creating mind maps:

• Start in the centre with an image of the topic. 

• Draw a curved line out from the centre image, the same length as the word/image that will go on the line.

• On this line either draw the image you want, or write the word, using upper or lower case letters.

• Each word/image must be alone and sitting on its own line; this unleashes your creativity.

• The lines must be organic, flowing and connected to each other line as well as the central image. The central lines are thicker, becoming thinner as they radiate out from the centre.

• Use colours – your own symbols and code – throughout the mind map.

• Develop your own personal style of mind mapping.

• Use images, symbols, numbers, codes and dimensions throughout your mind map.

• Use emphasis and show associations in your mind map.

• Keep the mind map clear by using radiant hierarchy.

Turning a mind map into an academic essay

Once your mind map has been created you can use it as the plan, or framework, for writing an essay. Everything you need to write about is laid out in front of you. The topic you are writing about is what you placed as the central theme in your map. In your introduction you will describe what this is and also mention each sub-topic that will be discussed. The following paragraphs will contain all the information that you need to include (which you have already noted on your map). Remember, each paragraph should contain one idea or cover one aspect relevant to the central theme on your mind map.

Example paragraph using a mind map as a guide.

Using the mind map above, a paragraph can be constructed with five key sentences. The first sentence contains the topic, while the fifth sentence is a concluding sentence linking into the next paragraph:

For a start-up business to be successful it is important to have both long and short term strategies that are achievable and well planned. The long term strategy for AMCE Inc. is to create an efficient operating model that can then be franchised throughout the whole country. The short term strategy is to quickly become immersed in the local market in order to build up brand awareness and customer base. These strategies will be implemented initially by the management team and then it is envisioned that an expert team, using outside advise, be created to implement the long term strategy of selling franchises. Setting up a competent management team who are all on-board with these strategies is critical to the success of this business.

Some people prefer a more ordered approach. The outlining method starts with the main idea bullet-pointed. Sub-topics are then indented from the main idea, and support is further indented. This is a tried and true method for taking notes. Start with big topics and add supporting points and details.

Writing outlines

Veiw the hand written example below to see how an outline is constructed while taking notes.

Using Mircosoft Word 

You can create outlines in a Word document as well by using the multilevel list settings. To find out more about this technique Office Support provides an explanation on how to make outlines from scratch.

Office 365 ProPlus

At OP every student has free access to Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus. Office 365 offers you productivity tools such as PowerPoint and OneNote to help you create notes and mindmaps.

PowerPoint

Using PowerPoint is an effective way to take notes. You can use the outlining method and put one key point with sub-topics in each slide.  After you have completed the presentation, you can print it out with space beside each slide for any additional notes that you may want to add later.

OneNote 

Microsoft Office OneNote is a powerful tool for students. In Microsoft OneNote, you can enter text via keyboard, create tables, and insert pictures. However, unlike when using a word processor, users can write anywhere on a virtually unbounded document window by just clicking there. OneNote saves data automatically as the user works.

OneNote saves information in pages organised into sections within notebooks. The interface provides an electronic version of a tabbed ring-binder into which the user can directly make notes and gather material from other applications. Embedded multimedia recordings and web links can be added. While OneNote commonly runs on laptops or desktop PCs, additional features support pen-enabled tablet computers. It has many uses, but one of the most useful for students is the ability to use it to collect information while researching an assignment.

Side Notes are great for:

• Collecting information while browsing the Web – when you paste, OneNote automatically includes the web address the information came from
• Making quick notes (like small sticky notes) as you think about things, so that you don’t forget
• Jotting down notes as you listen, in group meetings or lectures
• Writing down your thoughts while reading a document, Web page, or an e-mail message
• Copying relevant parts of tutors’ notes into OneNote as you read through them

When taking notes from books, online material and/or videos, try to write using common abbreviations.

Here are some examples:

Other hints:                                                                                                          

Write just the beginning of the word: 
different = diff
January = Jan

Leave the vowels out of the word: 
please = pls

• Review your notes within 24 hours of writing them.

• Review your material and then explain the key concepts in your own words without looking at your notes.

• Teach the material to someone else.

• After reviewing your notes, think about how the information you’ve learned can be used in a practical way. You could write your own scenarios.

• Review the last set of notes that you wrote before writing a new set.