Having an organized and tidy record of what you’ve been reading or hearing at conferences/lectures makes every scholar’s life much easier. First of all, it builds a clear structure of the content from the very beginning. Secondly, key information remains at your disposal any time you might need it. Besides, upon revision, efficient notes may also help you explore connections and nuances you might have missed otherwise.

There are two basic types of notes: those that you take in the classroom—whether attending a lecture or a presentation—and the ones that you might take while reading at home. The first notable difference between these two note-taking experiences is that when listening to someone you can’t neither rewind nor control the pace as you do when doing your research.

Speaking of in-class notes, their main objective is to focus on key concepts and evidence. The same as when reading, it makes sense to pay extra attention to the introduction and conclusion of the speech. Try jotting down concepts and terms repeated throughout the talk as well as their definitions and the ideas that surround them. To save you some time and make sure you have enough of it to take note of all the important things, try using shorter phrases instead of full sentences, abbreviations, and symbols (you work out your own system). Extra tip: leave broader margins for some questions or insights you might have as you listen to the presenter. (More on techniques for in-class notes: https://www.oxfordlearning.com/5-effective-note-taking-methods).