A simple method of taking notes that will allow you to memorize anything quickly and easily.
A lot of people have to take notes, so here’s the absolute magic way to take them.
While writing notes, take a piece of paper and divide it in half. On one side of the paper is a question, on the other side is the answer. That way you can cover up the “answer” side and your notes double as Flashcards, which are proven to be one of the single most effective ways of learning.
From a BBC article on which learning methods are proven effective, vs those proven ineffective:
HOW THE TECHNIQUES FARED
- Elaborative interrogation — being able to explain a point or fact — MODERATE
- Self-explanation — how a problem was solved — MODERATE
- Summarising — writing summaries of texts — LOW
- Highlighting/underlining- LOW
- Keyword mnemonics — choosing a word to associate with information — LOW
- Imagery — forming mental pictures while reading or listening — LOW
- Re-reading — LOW
- Practice testing — Self-testing to check knowledge — especially using flash cards — HIGH
- Distributed practice — spreading out study over time — HIGH
- Interleaved practice — switching between different kinds of problems — MODERATE
Link: BBC: Revision techniques — the good, the OK and the useless
Flash Cards fall under “practice testing.” You take your notes, that are cut in half. Cover the answer side, then move it down line by line as you test yourself. Then review them using the “Spaced Repetition” (Distributed Practice) Method, and you have pure magic:
One of the most popular Online Courses available: Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects | Coursera
Also handwritten notes are very important.
Scientific American: A Learning Secret: Don’t Take Notes with a Laptop
NPR: Attention, Students: Put Your Laptops Away
But there are certain rare cases when I take notes on a laptop, which is when I’m learning a new set of techniques for programming. In those cases this is my method in OneNote/MS Word. Queston in black, Answer in white. Then if you need to know the answer, simply hi-light the invisible line.
Enjoy!