Hello,
This blog post focuses on handwritten notes. I typically use handwritten notes for courses that use a lot of visual information such as graphs, tables and other images. Handwriting allows me to put marginal points and to really digest the material in an efficient manner. During the lesson (Slide 8), I learned about how typing notes can lead to mindless transcription. I have fallen into that trap of just typing without truly digesting the information. There is no difference between “filler information” and important facts. This causes my notes to be more dense and less concise for studying.
I have started implementing writing down lecture material handwritten first and then I transition into typing out a more organized notes on Google docs which I ultimately use to study and prep for exams. When I write my notes by hand, it tends to be in a sentence/ bullet point which is not as organized and tends to write most of the facts of the lecture. I usually star a bullet point or sentence that the professor stresses or indicates it is important. Next, I use the Cornell method to organize my notes where most of the important facts are down the middle and the margins include the topics. When I use google docs, I use the comment feature to add any additional info that I may have found in the textbook or through a search engine that is helpful for understanding the material but may not be explicitly stated during the lecture. Ultimately, I suggest college students to go through the various note taking strategies and explore which method helps them to retain information the best.
Thanks for reading.
All the best,
Christie Okoye