We are all taking notes for various reasons. It can be a professional requirement at work or simply just a personal preference for managing quick thoughts. But regardless, there’s no denying that this practice helps us in many ways. Let’s say you’re attending a lecture. You can take notes while the speaker delivers a presentation to understand the topic and keep everything important on record. Is taking notes really effective in this regard? Well, many people agree that it is.
Indeed, taking notes is very helpful to us. That’s why developing note-taking skills is something we must consider. Don’t worry. In this article, you’re going to learn so much about it. We’ll discuss the principles behind this ability and provide a short guide on how to integrate it with modern technology. Continue reading below and discover everything you need to know about note-taking skills.
In this article
Exploring the Basic Principles of Note-Taking
It’s fair to say that all of us are born with note-taking skills. Why so? Simply because we have this natural instinct to write down anything we don’t want to forget about. For instance, we tend to write our smartphone passcode whenever we nominate a new one. Another example is that we create a grocery list to ensure we get all the items we need. See? Note-taking skills are definitely innate in our behaviors.
However, it’s quite a different case when talking about note-taking skills for professional learning. There is a principle that you must learn about and take into consideration. Check out the list below to find out.
1. Nonresistant
When you’re taking notes, let your thoughts flow from your head down the paper. Just write whatever comes to your mind. Don’t try to make sense of it while you’re still writing. It’s going to create a disruption that might dissolve the ideas brewing inside your head. As recommended, organize your notes after writing them down.
2. Updates as additional notes
Let’s say there is an updated information on your previous notes. How should you write it down? Well, it’s very simple. Just write the new details as additional notes. Don’t delete your previous record. According to experts, that’s exactly how our mind works. We don’t replace previous memories when new ones come along. What we do is we just add them to the collection.
3. Consider the time and date as center points
When you’re taking down notes, try to write the time and date somewhere around the paper. Some studies have explained that writing notes along with the date and time is very helpful for easy recollection. Why so? Simply because it’s part of our behavior to connect our memories with physical space.
4. Objective-based
Think of the reason why you are taking notes in the first place. Having an objective in your mind will help you comprehend the details much easier. What you write serves as a record. Meanwhile, why you write encapsulates the main elements that will help you understand the content of your notes. That’s why it’s best to come up with a clear objective whenever you take notes.
These four principles are the keys to the development of your note-taking skills. Therefore, try to take them into consideration the next time you bring out a piece of paper and take some notes. It will certainly help you write clearly and concisely.
Enhancing Note-Taking Skills With Modern Technology
The first things that often come to mind when talking about note-taking are pen and paper. It’s perhaps because that’s how we’ve first learned to do such practices. But in our modern world today, it’s important to point out that writing notes has become a lot more convenient. We can actually now use our gadgets to make a digital note. Many people are now opting for this alternative. Do you want to know why? Check out the list provided below.
- You can store as many digital notes as you want for as long as you need.
- Digital notes are easily accessible straight from your device, with or without the internet.
- You can easily share digital notes with others online or through offline sharing channels.
- You’re given lots of options to customize the digital notes according to your liking.
- You can easily integrate digital notes into some applications in case you need external intervention.
3 Popular Note-Taking Applications You Can Try
Are you planning to develop and further enhance your note-taking skills? Here’s one tip for you. Start by choosing a particular note-taking application that perfectly suits your needs. There are many choices out there that you can instantly download for free. But for your convenience, we have listed the three most popular among them. Check the list below.
1. Evernote
First on the list is Evernote. It’s one of the oldest yet most reliable note-taking applications out there. You can easily create notes from your device and organize all of them in a specific way you prefer. Its organizational features are definitely the advantage that makes Evernote stand out among others.
2. OneNote
Do you need to collaborate with others when taking down notes? If so, Microsoft OneNote is surely a perfect fit for you. It allows you to share your notes with other people and customize the access based on your personal preference. Another thing is that you can enjoy a lot of features from its free version. Just make sure you have an active Microsoft account to get started.
3. Google Keep
Last but not the least is Google Keep. It’s the best option if you’re using Google services a lot. Why so? The simplest explanation is that you can easily integrate your digital notes with other Google applications whenever needed. Apart from that, Google Keep is free of charge. You can create notes and manage them on the platform without paying for a subscription.
Note-taking applications such as the ones listed above are very helpful nowadays. Thus, choose one that fits your needs and take advantage of its features to develop your note-taking skills.
Improve Your Note-Taking Skills With EdrawMind
Let’s say you have already finished writing your notes from the lecture. Now, what’s the next step? At this point, it’s about time to organize the content of your notes and try to make it intelligible. You may rewrite the details in another note and follow a more organized structure. But if you wish to do it more conveniently, the best option you have is to use a mind-mapping tool like EdrawMind.
EdrawMind provides numerous options to help you visualize your thoughts in representations that can be easily understood by everyone. Apart from that, you may also arrange your ideas in a specific hierarchy to present relationships between the elements. Don’t worry. EdrawMind is very easy to use. In fact, you can create a mindmap within a few minutes. Do you want to try it now? Check the guide below and use this tool to improve your note-taking skills.
How to Organize Your Notes Using EdrawMind?
The key to well-developed note-taking skills is well-organized thoughts. In this regard, EdrawMind can certainly help you a lot. Check out the tutorial below to learn how to do it with this mind-mapping tool.
Step 1:Bring Out Your Notes
The first thing you need to do is bring out your notes. Make sure that it contains all the information you need before starting to map them on EdrawMind.
Step 2:Organize the notes on EdrawMind
Create a mind map using your notes. Key in the main idea from your notes and branch out the details through the main and sub-topics. Connect each bubble accordingly to make sure you’re presenting the exact idea you want to imply.
Step 3:Customize the design of your mind map
Use the floating bar or the right panel to customize the mind map. Change the shape of the bubbles, replace their colors, modify the fonts, and many more. Just make sure that the design is well-coordinated to avoid creating confusion for others.
Conclusion
It’s actually not that hard to develop note-taking skills. You just need to learn the principles behind it and try to apply them when you’re taking notes. That’s the simplest way to hone this ability and make it useful for you. Since we’re now living in a very advanced world, it will surely be of great help to master the note-taking apps enumerated above. Using one is going to make it so easy for you to write down your thoughts.
With regard to idea organization, mind mapping with EdrawMind is indeed a great choice. It provides numerous options to help you craft a beautiful visual representation of your concepts and ideas. Explore EdrawMind’s visual gems and use them to manage your notes efficiently. Improve your note-taking skills with the aid of this tool and the effective note-writing tactics combined altogether.
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