How to take lecture notes: Please start recording from the unknown and interesting parts first

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Speaking of taking notes (opens in a new tab), I believe everyone is familiar with it. Whether we are students or enter the workplace, we all need to write all kinds of notes. But here comes the question, how should we take notes (opens in a new tab)? Especially if you have the opportunity to listen to a wonderful lecture or course, how do you remember the key points in a relatively short period of time?

Usually, I will prepare a small notebook to record the parts that interest me or feel important. If I can use a laptop, I will open my favorite note-taking software and write down particularly interesting points in a column.

The point of taking notes is not to record everything in detail (opens in a new tab), but to be able to understand the speaker’s thinking and context.

Because modern people’s time is very precious, they may not have the time to organize or write down things after they get home. Therefore, I suggest that you develop the habit of recording on the spot. Of course, because time is limited, please give priority to recording the parts that you find confusing or interesting.

Just like the well-known Japanese book critic Eiji Doi in “First-class people read, where do they draw the line?” : Deep Thinking Techniques for Elite Reading (opens in a new tab)” mentioned in the book that you should draw lines on yourself “content you don’t agree with or don’t understand (opens in a new tab)” is correct. In other words, in addition to strengthening the “known” through reading, we also need to absorb the “unknown” part.

──This is true for reading, why not also for listening?

If reading is to draw a line for a new future from numerous words, then I think the key point of listening is to find the antenna that can connect and dialogue with the speaker.

Therefore, when I listen to lectures or interviews, I focus on absorbing the “unknown”, “interesting” or “incomprehensible” parts, and grasp the overall situation by sorting out the context of the speaker or interviewee’s speech. In addition, since you usually cannot take too careful notes when listening to lectures, you only need to write down the key points, difficult points or practical points; of course, it would be better if it can be supplemented by actual cases.

Take the May fan conference that I attended Book Fans Alliance (opens in a new tab) a few days ago as an example. On that day, the Book Fans Alliance specially invited Mr. Hu Xiaodong, CEO of Taiyi International Consulting Group (Beijing), to deliver a special speech titled “The Secret of Taiwanese Lecturers Traveling in Mainland China.” Because the speech was very exciting, I saw many friends at the scene writing quickly and seemed to be taking notes.

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★ Picture source: Wei Meifeng (opens in a new tab) teacher

In fact, you only need to master some tricks to make detailed listening notes. There is no need to limit the method or format of taking notes. For example, the teacher Wei Meifeng (opens in a new tab) sitting next to me is used to thinking in images, so she uses a nine-square grid on her iPad to outline key points. I am still used to recording in words, so in addition to excerpting some keywords and key points on the spot, I quickly compiled it into a relatively complete and readable article while the impression was still fresh after I got home.

In addition to paying attention to the content, I also pay special attention to the speaker’s own characteristics, background or work and life experience. For example, Mr. Hu from Taiyi International Consulting Group has been immersed in the training field for a long time, so he not only understands the education and training market in the mainland, but also has a deep understanding of Taiwanese lecturers. This part is particularly interesting to me. The purpose of taking notes during lectures is, of course, to facilitate review and study afterwards. Therefore, it is recommended that when taking notes, you should be able to extract the real key points and connect them with your own experiences and ideas. Only in this way will the lecture notes or experience article have unique meaning and value.

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Further reading

• I read “First-class people read, where do they draw the line?” : Deep Thinking Techniques for Elite Reading: Don’t draw lines on existing beliefs, but absorb the unknown
• Interview note-taking tips for novice reporters: How to capture key information efficiently and write in-depth reports
• quirks about writing notes