Title: 3.1 Make Note of This: Taking Notes is Important
Course: RITA LEARNING MODULES > Section: 3. Note Taking for Success

Describe some basic techniques relating to active reading.
Apply the Cornell Note Taking Method to make your note taking more effective.

Download the Notetaking Tips Cheat Sheet.

Everybody takes notes, or at least everybody claims to. But if you take a close look, many who are claiming to take notes on their laptops are actually surfing the Web, and paper notebooks are filled with doodles interrupted by a couple of random words with an asterisk next to them reminding you that “This is important!” Reading and note taking are two essential study skills. How do you read? What are different techniques behind successful note taking?

Effective note taking is important because it

- supports your listening efforts
- allows you to test your understanding of the material
- helps you remember the material better when you write key ideas down
- gives you a sense of what the instructor thinks is important
- creates your “ultimate study guide.”

There are various forms of taking notes - mind maps, t-method, outlines, etc.

The Cornell method uses a two - column approach that can include other notertaking methods within the columns. The Cornell method provides a useful format for calling out key concepts, prioritizing ideas, and organizing review work. Most colleges recommend using some form of the Cornell method.
Complete the remaining pages on Note-Taking and then take Note-Taking Quiz.