TOP 10 NOTE-TAKING TECHNIQUES (4-8)


Taking notes is one of the best steps to ensuring better grades. Clear, concise notes make it easier for your child to prepare for tests and retain information. The key to taking good notes is organization and tidiness. With these 10 steps, your child can find a note-taking strategy that fits her learning style and use it to learn more effectively.

  1. The split-page method. Divide your child’s notebook page in half lengthwise by drawing a line down the middle of the page. Have her take class notes on one side of the page and outline the text on the other side. This allows your child to record all of the course content.


  2. The 2-6 method. This method further divides the space on notebook paper. Make two columns, using the red line on the left as the border. Have your child use the skinny strip on the left for highlights of the notes on the rest of the page.


  3. Take noteworthy notes. After a lesson ends, encourage your child to go through her notes and expand on any unclear data. Research indicates that 80 percent of new material can be recalled if notes are reviewed within 24 hours; this review will help your child retain new information.


  4. Bulleted lists. Encourage your child to write down the main points of the subject in a bulleted list. This provides a quick review for tests or quizzes.


  5. Outlines. With this technique, the most general information is at the left, with each more specific group of facts indented with spaces to the right. Each new piece of information needs its own indented segment.


  6. Mapping method. A great method for children who think visually, this technique relates each fact and idea to another fact or idea. The student writes one word or idea anywhere on the page, then writes other words or ideas and begins to draw lines that connect one thing to another. Mapping emphasizes critical thinking because the child must draw conclusions as to which items relate.


  7. Flashcards. Write the main points on one side of a flashcard and the description on the other. This is particularly useful in preparation for a test.


  8. Mark points of emphasis. If your child’s teacher emphasizes a certain point either by repetition or vocal inflection, have your child mark it with a star or other notation.


  9. The sentence method. Write every new thought or fact on a separate line, with numbers corresponding to the topics.


  10. Compare notes with a classmate. If your child is unsure of a specific word used, or missed class time, encourage her to review another classmate’s notes to review and clarify.


By Erin Williams