Note-Taking

Note-taking means writing down important information while you listen or read. Good notes help you remember what you learn. They also give you something to study from later. Note-taking is a skill that helps you in school and throughout your life.

How to Take Good Notes

Do not try to write down everything. Focus on the main ideas and key details. Use short phrases instead of full sentences. Abbreviate long words when you can. Leave space between ideas so you can add more later. Use your own words instead of copying word for word.

Organizing Your Notes

There are different ways to organize notes. An outline uses Roman numerals and letters to show main ideas and details. A web or mind map puts the main idea in the center with details branching out. Cornell notes divide the page into sections for notes, questions, and a summary.

Fun Facts

• Studies show that writing notes by hand helps you remember better than typing them.
• Thomas Edison filled over 3,500 notebooks with notes and ideas during his lifetime.
• The Cornell note-taking system was invented at Cornell University in the 1950s.

Did You Know?

Leonardo da Vinci was a famous note-taker who filled thousands of pages with sketches, ideas, and observations, many written in mirror writing.