Studying at London Metropolitan University

Actively making your own notes is the best way to understand, learn and remember all the information you encounter as a student.

• Making notes aids concentration.
• Summarising information reinforces learning.
• Concise notes are useful for exams, assignments and further research.

Make active notes

• Search for key concepts, theories, names and dates.
• Summarise chunks of a lecture or reading in your own 'key' words.
• If you comment on a lecture or reading, put these in [square brackets] or a different coloured ink so that you always know what is 'you' and what is the author/lecturer.
• Put question marks or exclamation marks if you agree or disagree.
• Include charts, diagrams, drawings.
• Use your own cartoons and other memory triggers to make your notes distinctive and memorable.

Record your sources

• Always record the source of your notes, whether its a book, journal, website or lecture.
• Remember to critically evaluate the source of your notes, have a look at Evaluate - Finding information and organising your work.
• Keep detailed records of author, date of publication, place of publication, publisher and page numbers.
• For journals include date, issue and volume numbers.
• For websites include the url and the date your accessed them.
• If capturing quotes, take down the exact words, indicate clearly that a direct quotation has been made and note the exact source as above.
• You may want to use a referencing management software like Zotero to help you with this.  

Review your notes

• Don't just write your notes then forget about them otherwise you won't retain any of the information.  Go back and review frequently.
• Discuss your thoughts with friends.
• Reduce your notes to a shorter version.
• Illustrate them with a memorable cartoon or graphic.
• Set new goals: what will your read or write next?

Linear notes

Key points are given as headings with issues relating to each point listed underneath.  Use a numbering system and leave plenty of white space.

Cornell notes

This is an active, linear, notemaking system.  Divide the page into three, use one third to capture main points and ideas; one third to summarise these into key words and one third to write down questions and link with other ideas, theories and concepts. The Cornell Note Taking System

Mind-mapping

Like patterned notes but one word per branch.  The words and images are supported by colours and symbols to represent ideas.  They are particularly useful for visual learners but the 'brain-storming' approach to thinking and making connections are effective for everyone.  You can mind-map on paper or use a digital tool like Freemind.

Sketch-noting

A visual thinking approach where you record your notes through illustrations and text. Sketchnoting: Verbal to Visual

OneNote is a digital notebook.  It's a great way to save and organise your research notes. Log in with your university email address and password.

Why we love it ♥

• All your notes for uni work saved in one place.
• Access your notes whenever and wherever you need them.
• Search across all your notes.
• Add images, files, checklists and even voice notes.
• Save PDFs & documents- and use highlighting and drawing functions to annotate.

Help and training