Note-taking is an essential skill, in secondary school, in higher education and at work. Done well, it does more than keep a record of the lesson: it helps you understand and remember better. Here are its benefits, and our practical tips for taking effective notes.
Note-taking: a definition
Taking notes means writing down the essentials of what you hear or read, in your own words, in a short and organised form. The goal is to be able to find the content of the lesson again later without rewriting everything.
Note-taking is therefore different from dictation. The aim is not to copy the teacher word for word, but to sort, summarise and structure the information as it comes in. That sorting is precisely what makes it useful for learning.
Why take notes? The benefits for memory
Researchers distinguish two functions of note-taking: the act of writing, which helps you process information in the moment, and the notes themselves, which serve as a basis for revision. Both matter.
1. Understanding the lesson better
To note the essentials, you have to decide what matters and what matters less. This selection forces you to follow the teacher’s reasoning instead of listening passively. You spot more quickly what you have not understood, and you can ask the question straight away.
2. Remembering better
Rephrasing in your own words, linking one idea to another, summarising an example: all of this takes processing effort. The more you work on information as you receive it, the better it sticks. Copying word for word takes much less thought, and so leaves fewer traces.
3. Revising more effectively
Clear notes become the basis of your revision. They save you from going back through the whole textbook and let you test yourself: cover your notes, try to recall the main ideas, then check. This recall exercise is one of the most effective ways to remember in the long term.
4. Staying focused
Having an active task during the lesson helps you stay concentrated, especially during a long lecture. A pupil who takes notes drifts off less easily than one who only listens.
The importance of note-taking at each level
- End of primary and start of secondary school: pupils mostly copy what is on the board. This is the right time to learn to underline a heading, make a list, write down a key word. Parents can help them reread and complete their notes the same evening.
- Upper secondary school: teachers talk more and write less. Pupils must learn to select on their own, use abbreviations and organise their page.
- Higher education: lectures are long and fast, and course notes do not always say everything. A solid note-taking method becomes essential to prepare for the exam study period.
Note-taking techniques: our practical tips
1. Listen carefully
To take effective notes, you first have to listen. Put your phone away or turn off notifications during the lesson. Look out for the teacher’s signals: what they repeat, what they write on the board, announcements such as “remember this” or “there are three reasons”.
2. Write in your own words
Rephrase instead of copying. Keep definitions, formulas and dates as they are, but summarise explanations in a few words. If you miss an idea, leave a gap or a question mark, and fill it in later.
3. Use abbreviations and symbols
Abbreviations save time and space. Choose a few and always use the same ones, so that you can read your notes back:
- “=” for “is, means”, “≠” for “different from”;
- “→” for “leads to, gives”, “↑” and “↓” for “increases” and “decreases”;
- “e.g.”, “def.”, “cf.”, “w/” for “with”, “b/c” for “because”.
4. Organise the information
Use headings, subheadings, bullet points and indentation to show what depends on what. Leave space between sections: an airy page is much easier to reread, and you can add to it later.
5. Choose a suitable method
Several methods have proven their worth. The key is to choose one and stick with it for a while:
- The Cornell method: the page is divided into three areas. On the right, the lesson notes; on the left, a narrow column for key words and questions, filled in after the lesson; at the bottom, a summary of a few lines. To revise, you cover the right column and answer the questions on the left.
- The mind map: the topic in the centre, the main ideas as branches, the details as sub-branches. It suits subjects where the links between ideas matter (history, geography, biology) and for summing up a chapter.
- The structured outline: numbered headings, subsections and bullet points. It is the simplest method for a very organised lesson, as is often the case in science or law.
- The table: useful for comparing (two authors, two periods, two chemical reactions).
6. By hand or on a computer?
A frequently cited study (Mueller and Oppenheimer, 2014) observed that students who typed their notes on a laptop copied the lecture word for word more often, and remembered the ideas less well. This result is debated, however: a replication published in 2021 (Urry and colleagues) found the same tendency to copy verbatim on the keyboard, but no clear difference in test results.
So the medium matters less than the way you take notes. What helps you remember is rephrasing and selecting, by hand or on a keyboard. Handwriting still has its advantages, especially for younger children: we discuss this in our article on writing in the digital age. On a computer, close other tabs to avoid distractions.
7. Reread and complete your notes the same day
Reread your notes on the evening of the lesson, or the next day at the latest. Fill in the gaps using the textbook or course notes, add questions in the margin, highlight definitions. Then come back to them at regular intervals instead of rereading everything the night before the exam.
Notes first, then real memory work
Good notes are a starting point. To remember in the long term, you then have to work on them actively: test yourself, explain the material out loud, space out your revision. The Feynman technique helps you check that you have really understood, and the memory palace helps you remember lists or dates. You will find more ideas in our 4 tips for a good study method.
Getting support
Some pupils find it hard to keep up with the pace of the lesson or to sort information, and their notes do not help them study. At My Sherpa, an educational advisor chooses a coach who works with the pupil on their study method : note-taking, organisation, revision. Lessons take place at home anywhere in Belgium, or online.
