How to take notes that actually help you learn
TutorAura guide · Updated
Good notes aren't a transcript of the lesson. They're a summary in your own words that you can later test yourself from. The act of deciding what matters and rephrasing it helps you understand, and notes organised around questions make revision much more effective.
This guide covers what to write, a simple layout that works for most subjects (the Cornell method), and how to use your notes afterwards, which matters more than how pretty they look.
Key takeaways
- Write key ideas in your own words, not word for word.
- Leave space for questions and a summary (the Cornell method).
- Review notes within a day, while you can still fill gaps.
- Turn notes into questions and test yourself from them.
What to write down
- Main ideas and how they connect, not every word.
- Definitions of new terms, with an example.
- Worked examples in maths and science, including the steps.
- Anything the teacher emphasises, repeats or writes on the board.
- Your questions: mark anything you didn't understand with a "?" to follow up.
Use abbreviations and short phrases. You're aiming to capture ideas, not sentences.
The Cornell method
The Cornell note-taking system, developed at Cornell University, divides each page into three areas (Cornell Learning Strategies Center):
| Area | What goes there | When |
|---|---|---|
| Notes (right, large) | The main notes during class | During the lesson |
| Cues (left, narrow) | Questions and key words that the notes answer | Soon after the lesson |
| Summary (bottom) | Two or three sentences summarising the page | Soon after the lesson |
To revise, cover the notes column and answer the questions in the cue column from memory. That turns your notes into a built-in self-test, which is far more effective than rereading (Dunlosky et al., 2013).
Handwriting or laptop?
A widely cited study found that students who took notes by hand performed better on conceptual questions than laptop note-takers, apparently because laptop users tended to transcribe word for word (Mueller and Oppenheimer, 2014). Later replication attempts found smaller or no differences (Morehead, Dunlosky and Rawson, 2019).
The safe conclusion: the method matters more than the device. Whichever you use, summarise in your own words rather than transcribing, and keep the laptop free of distractions.
After the lesson
- Review within 24 hours. Fill gaps, fix unclear bits, and answer your "?" marks (or ask your teacher).
- Write cue questions in the margin.
- Add a short summary at the bottom of the page.
- Test yourself from the cues a few days later, and again before the test. See spaced repetition.
Ten minutes of review soon after a lesson can save much longer relearning later.
Notes for different subjects
- Maths: worked examples with each step, plus a note on when to use the method. Keep a separate list of your common mistakes.
- Sciences: diagrams labelled in your own words, processes as numbered steps, equations with units.
- History and English: key points with evidence (dates, names, quotations), and your own interpretation marked clearly.
- Languages: vocabulary in a two-column list you can cover to test yourself.
Common mistakes
- Copying slides word for word. It feels productive but involves little thinking.
- Never looking at notes again until the night before.
- Spending ages rewriting notes neatly. Turning them into questions is a better use of time.
- Highlighting everything. Highlighting on its own is rated low in usefulness by learning researchers (Dunlosky et al., 2013).
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to take notes?
Write main ideas in your own words, leave space for questions and a summary (for example with the Cornell method), review within a day, and test yourself from the notes.
Is it better to take notes by hand or on a laptop?
Research is mixed. What matters most is summarising in your own words rather than transcribing, and avoiding distractions.
What is the Cornell method?
A page layout with a notes column, a narrow cue column for questions and key words, and a summary at the bottom, designed for self-testing.
Should I rewrite my notes?
Rewriting neatly takes time with little benefit. Turning notes into questions and testing yourself is more effective.
Sources
- The Cornell Note Taking System. Cornell University Learning Strategies Center.
- The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard. Psychological Science (Mueller and Oppenheimer), 2014.
- How Much Mightier Is the Pen than the Keyboard for Note-Taking? A Replication and Extension of Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014). Educational Psychology Review (Morehead, Dunlosky and Rawson), 2019.
- Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Dunlosky et al.), 2013.
Keep reading
Active recall: the study technique that beats rereading
Why testing yourself beats rereading, and five practical ways to do it for any subject.
How to study for a test: methods that actually work
Test yourself, spread it out and mix topics: a research-backed method with a 7-day plan and a one-day emergency plan.
How to read a textbook effectively (and actually remember it)
Preview, ask questions, read in chunks, explain each part and test yourself afterwards.
Spaced repetition: how to remember more by studying less at once
Why spreading study over time beats cramming, and a simple schedule you can start today.