How to Take Notes Like the Top 1% of Students | A Complete Note-Taking Guide ★, by 𝑺𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒚𝒍𝒖𝒎𝒆 on YouTube. 10 min 2 s.
- Video length
- 10 min 2 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Pick your stationery before class. Use one notebook per subject or a notes app with folders, plus a black pen for main ideas, a blue pen for details and a highlighter for key terms.
Set up a notes blueprint for each page. Write the subject and date at the top, leave a wide left margin for keywords and a few lines at the bottom for a summary.
During class, write only main ideas and examples in your own words. Skip full sentences and copy the structure the teacher writes on the board.
Use short forms and symbols to keep up with the speaker. Abbreviate common words, use arrows for causes and equals signs for definitions, then clean them up later.
After class, fill the left margin with questions or keywords for each section. This turns your page into a self-test you can cover and answer.
Write a two or three line summary at the bottom of each page. Say the main point in your own words without looking at the notes.
Make the notes easy to scan. Highlight only key terms and formulas, use headings and leave white space between sections instead of filling every line.
Revise by covering the right side and answering the margin questions out loud. Check your answer, then repeat the ones you missed a day later.
Review your notes weekly and rewrite only the weak sections. Merge duplicate points and add new examples so the notes stay short and current.
Tips and common mistakes
Do not copy slides word for word. Paraphrasing forces your brain to process the idea.
Leave space on each page so you can add details later without squeezing text into the margin.
Highlight after class, not during it. Too much color makes everything look important.
If you fall behind, write the keyword and move on. Fill the gap after class instead of missing the next point.
Questions
What is the Cornell note-taking method?
It splits the page into a narrow left column for keywords and questions, a wide right area for notes and a bottom strip for a summary. You cover the right side and answer the left column to test yourself.
Should I take notes by hand or on a laptop?
Either works if you write in your own words. Handwriting slows you down and helps you summarize, while a laptop is faster for long lectures and easy to search later.
How do I make revision notes from class notes?
Condense each topic to one page with key terms, formulas and examples only. Then test yourself from that page instead of rereading the full notes.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
