Learning to take notes is an important life skill. This helps you academically and professionally. Taking notes requires active listening and critical thinking. Improving your ability to take notes improves your thinking.
You should always take notes
The faintest ink is better than the strongest memory.
Ideas can come from anywhere and at any time. The problem with making mental notes is that the ink fades very rapidly.
Rolf Smith
Don Meyer
Did you write it down? If you did not, you should have. This is because only what you have committed to paper has significance. Man’s experience is only that which he has recorded. The more you consider that, the more significant it may become…
Therefore whatever you did is only real upon the printed page.
Jeff Cooper
I’m not writing it down to remember it later, I’m writing it down to remember it now.
Field Notes advertisement
Three Team Rules by Coach Don Meyer:
- Everybody takes notes.
- Everybody says “please” and “thank you, “yes ma’am” and “yes sir”.
- Everybody picks up trash.
Ink it when you think it.
Sam Horn
He listens well who takes notes.
Dante Alighieri
Take notes with the Cornell system
The Cornell Notes is a good system to take notes. It has three components:
- Notes section for taking notes in class or online
- Cues section for asking questions after the class.
- Summary section for summarizing what you learned.
Jeff Mankin teaches financial literacy and Excel. He is the founder of Finally Learn.
