How to get better at writing notes

Note-taking is a critical skill. You may not realize it, but you probably take notes almost every day.

Whether it’s a shopping or to-do list, meeting notes, notes on a lecture, lesson, or video, taking a message for someone, or even just jotting down your thoughts or ideas, we all find ourselves writing notes for various purposes.

Tips for writing better notes

Like any skill, our note-taking can always be improved.

There are different note-taking methods and using them as you are writing notes in class is a key skill as you progress through high school and into college. Writing notes in the workplace is critical for capturing and sharing information. Here are a few note-taking strategies you can try.

Keep it brief

As with most types of writing, in note-taking, shorter is better. 

When you are writing notes in class, it’s important to get all the key points down quickly. Throw grammar out the window. Skip short, unnecessary words, like ‘a’ and ‘the.’ Use abbreviations to help you record key points. Here are a few examples to use and to give you ideas for your own abbreviations:

• Use ‘+’ instead of ‘and’
• Use ‘e.g.’ or ‘ex’ instead of ‘example’
• Use ‘i.e.’ instead of ‘in other words’
• Use ‘@’ instead of ‘at’
• Use ‘=’ instead of ‘equals’
• Use ‘↑’ instead of increase and ‘↓’ instead of ‘decrease’

Use pen and paper

One of the ways to improve your note-taking is a simple one: writing notes by hand. 

While typing on a computer, phone, or tablet keyboard is certainly efficient, there are some key reasons why writing by hand is better than typing.

Writing notes by hand improves recall and helps you gain a more in-depth understanding of a topic. It also increases focus and accuracy, helps develop learning skills, and boosts creativity.

In addition, if you use the note-taking strategies described here, writing notes by hand can actually be faster than typing them, and you will be less likely to make mistakes.

Invent your own coding system

Another note-taking method is to create your own coding system. 

Like using abbreviations, using a shorter version of longer words can help you catch the main points quickly. You could also add a glossary of your shorted words to your notebook for later reference. Here are a few examples you can use when writing notes:

• Use ‘w/’ instead of ‘with’ and ‘w/o’ instead of ‘without’
• Use ‘b/c’ instead of ‘because’
• Use ‘etc.’ instead of ‘and so on’ or ‘and so forth’
• Use ‘thru’ instead of ‘thru’
• Use ‘re.’ instead of ‘regarding’
• Use ‘min.’ instead of ‘minimum’ and ‘max.’ instead of ‘maximum’

Use the outlining method 

Outlining is a note-taking strategy that has been around a long time because it works well.

In the outlining note-taking method, you use headings and bullet points to organize topics as you are writing them down. Using outlining when writing notes is most useful when you are learning about topics and concepts that include a high level of detail.

Outlining allows your notes to be neatly organized which helps when reviewing them for memorization or later study. Writing notes with outlining also makes it easier and clearer to see relationships between topics and subtopics. Outlining also makes it quicker and simpler to turn written points into study questions.

The outlining method of writing notes consists of the following simple steps:

1. Begin your note-taking with a single bullet point and write the main topic.

2. Write the first sub-topic below the main topic, indented slightly to the right.

3. List details beneath the sub-topic, indented slightly to the right.

4. When a new topic or sub-topic comes up, go back to step 1 or 2 above as appropriate and repeat this process.

Tips for writing meeting notes

At work, you might jot a few notes during a quick chat or phone call or write more detailed minutes in meetings you attend regularly.

While jotting short notes is straightforward, writing notes in meetings can be more involved. In some meetings, you may need to be an active participant while also note-taking. 

Ideally, however, you or someone else would be a designated note-taker for the entire meeting. This allows you to listen to and focus on writing notes that capture the meeting minutes, which are the main points of the meeting and any actions that result from it.

Use a collaborative document

In the workplace, collaboration is key to reaching goals, especially within a team.

An effective way to work together with your colleagues when writing notes is to use a collaborative document. Apps like Google Docs, Evernote, or various Microsoft OneDrive-enabled apps allow real-time, simultaneous note-taking by you and your co-workers.

While writing notes by hand is more effective for individual note-taking, in the business world, digital collaboration is a preferred note-taking method.

Identify speakers and actions

When writing notes in meetings, it’s often important to identify speakers and those assigned to completing actions.

When speakers make key points, someone may want to revisit or talk to them about those points later. You can add their initials next to their points.

When action items are assigned, it’s critical to identify who will complete those actions. You can add their initials next to the actions. If relevant, adding key dates is often important also.

Using a collaborative note-taking app like those described above allows identification of speakers, key points, and action assignees by adding comments to the meeting minutes.

Clarify and confirm

When writing notes, especially in the workplace, clarity and confirmation are important.

In your meeting note-taking, if you are not 100% sure about a discussion point, politely ask to stop and clarify before moving on. In a fast-moving meeting with lots of in-depth discussions, it can be difficult to clarify points later.

This is a situation in which writing notes in a collaborative app like those described above can be useful. It lets others fill in the blanks during the discussion, as well as spot and correct any errors. 

Tips for writing academic notes

In the classroom, multi-tasking between listening, contributing, and writing notes can be challenging. This is especially true in a large lecture hall with a fast-speaking professor or in an online discussion that is moving quickly.

Focus on the key points

When writing notes in school, keep in mind that you are a student, not a court stenographer. You don’t need to write down everything that is said.

Instead, summarize as much as possible when writing notes. You can keep it brief and use some of the note-taking strategies described above, like using abbreviations, shortened words, and the outlining method of writing notes.

Use the handouts

In today’s classroom, you are often provided with lecture slides before class. You can print these out in advance, bring them to class, and use some of the note-taking methods described above to jot your own notes on the slides printouts.

Writing notes directly on the class slides gives more context, allowing you to focus on catching key points and commentary from the instructor that may not be included in the slides.

Record it!

Another effective note-taking method in school involves no initial writing at all: recording it!

Most online classroom software has an option for you to record the lesson if it is not already being recorded. If you have your laptop in a lecture hall, there are various apps available that will record lectures for you.

You can then go back and review the recording as often as you like, pausing or rewinding as needed. You can also take notes on key points as you review the recording.

Try shorthand

There may be times in which you need to write down everything. For those situations, you may want to consider learning shorthand writing.

Writing notes in shorthand increases the amount of information you can quickly get down on the page, allowing you to keep pace with your instructor. This lets you feel less stressed about catching everything that is said. Plus, as explained above, hand writing notes on paper, in this case with shorthand, has advantages over typing them on a keyboard.

Employing the note-taking strategies and tips described above will improve your note-taking skills. They will help you more effectively capture the topics, key points, important details, speakers, and actions that arise in the classroom or meeting room.

This will allow you to better recall the lecture or discussion as well as give you the means to review your meeting notes later, so you can use them to study or to follow up on actions. 

Start using the methods above to improve your note-taking skills today! 

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