I’ve always used the one-spiral-notebook-per-class tactic of note-taking.
This past year in college, though, I noticed some students taking their notes on loose-leaf paper, and keeping them securely organized in three ring binders. This struck me as a much better way of doing it– with a three-ring-binder, you can easily change, insert, move around, or even delete pages. Also, when an instructor gives you an important hand-out (or you print out something relevant from the internet), you can insert it in a relevant place among your notes. Thus, hand-outs become part of your notes, rather than isolated sheets of paper stored elsewhere. You can’t do any of these things with standard spiral notebooks.
Also, I recently learned about the Cornell method of note-taking. This seems like a totally better way of organizing key points and important ideas. I plan to try this out. I tend to be a very linear thinker, but much of academia revolves around non-linear (or global) thinking. I get bogged down in details, and often miss out on the big picture. The Cornell method may be a good middle ground.
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I use the Cornell note taking method for my notes and everyone who sees how my notes are formatted asks me about it. They work for me (another very linear thinker).
I haven’t yet tried this software but there is some open source Cornell Note software available at:
http://notalon.sourceforge.net/
I recently purchased a digital tablet (no, not the laptop kind) and I’ve been taking notes on that and they are probably not compatible with the above software, which is the only reason I haven’t tried it yet.
I have learned of the Cornell Method also and intend to try it. I found at a local dollar tree they have paper already with the wide margin. I stocked up on those note books.
@ Angela: Thanks for that link. I’m in the market for a new laptop, so I’ll keep it in mind.
You know, I’ve pretty much given up on trying to create mind maps (which everybody recommends when they hear you’re a linear thinker), but I think the Cornell method will help a lot.
@ writewoman: Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll go check out the Dollar Tree…. or just modify regular looseleaf notebook paper.