Another important thing to consider with note taking is the importance of understanding what you read. Some texts you won’t need to understand fully, you may just need a little detail from them, but other times you will need to understand the bigger ideas that an author has. For example, if you are working with a specific theory. Therefore, some methods of note taking can be especially helpful.

Robbie's method: bullet points through to tidy paragraphs

One method that can prove useful when tackling more challenging literature is to take rough bullet points as you go. Make a note after, say, every paragraph to check your understanding as you go. After you have finished a relevant section of the reading, why not then create a summary of the article, chapter or book you have just read. This could be a useful way to check your own understanding and identify key themes. A major flaw with this method is that it can be quite time consuming but does help with understanding. It can also be a good idea to keep track of these notes in apps like Notion or OneNote so you can come back to them later.

Robbie says “I use this method as my subject features lots of challenging philosphical texts. This helps me stay confident, and pay attention, as I read pieces of writing that I find intimidating.”

Adam's method: verbal processing

Another method, which is slightly less conventional, is to verbally take notes. Once you have read an article make a short voice note where you overview the content you have just covered. This is a great way to check your own understanding and to form opinions on what you have just read. You can use transcription software (like Otter.ai) which allows you to search back and save your notes in the cloud.

Adam says: “ I love this method. I am dyspraxic so I often struggle with getting my thoughts down on paper. I will often type out my feelings on a piece of writing after doing this as well."

Beth's method: commenting on an article as you read it

It is common for people, when they are reading more challenging texts, to print off the relevant section and comment on it. As they go through it they add comments and highlight key sections. An advantage of this is it allows deep engagement with the text. However, an issue can be that students simply highlight sections without properly thinking about them. Equally, it can be an expensive method if you are printing resources to do this.

Beth says: “I use this approach as it helps simplify complex texts and makes feel me like I am achieving something as I read”