homework notes idea

The 13 Most Effective Note-Taking Methods

These are efficient note-taking methods that anyone can pick up and use to take better notes.

• By Sander Tamm
• Mar 19, 2024

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“Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work.” Albert Einstein

When you’re first learning a new concept, you’re taking in further information that has to go through the process of memorization.

The human brain, however, is inefficient at remembering things. 

Within  24 hours  of leaving class, your brain will have forgotten more than half of what it remembered at the end of the class.

This phenomenon is described by the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve , which perfectly illustrates the need for note-taking .

Compare the right-side green line with the left-side red line. 

Someone who takes notes and reviews them three times (green line) remembers nearly everything after a week. On the other hand, a person who doesn’t review their notes at all (red line) forgets everything within a week.

Don’t be the red line – make sure you’re one of the green lines instead! To do so, you’ll need to learn how to take  effective , visually interesting , and/or aesthetical notes .

To help you do so, these are the best note-taking methods:

Best Note-Taking Methods

Outline note-taking method.

Best for:  Most subjects except science classes such as physics or math

Difficulty level:  Medium

The  outline method of note-taking  uses indentation to store information in a clear hierarchy. When applicable, the outline method is one of the most efficient note-taking formats as it creates meticulously well-organized notes. The method can also be used in both  deductive and inductive  order.

Outlined notes are some of the easiest to review, as it’s one of the few systems that allow you to see space relationships between topics. However, the method is not always suitable for taking notes during a live lecture, and outlining requires a clear lesson structure. 

Advantages:

• Space relationships between topics are visible,
• Information is recorded in a logical, hierarchical manner,
• Outlined notes are quick and easy to review pre-exam,
• Special notepaper & preparation not required,
• Research on the outline method  has been positive,
• Usable during class (slow to medium-paced lectures).

Disadvantages:

• Unsuitable for some STEM subjects,
• Learning materials/lectures require a clear structure,
• Outlining notes requires intense concentration and thought.

Cornell Note-Taking Method

Best for:  Recording main concepts & forming study questions

Difficulty level:  Easy

The  Cornell note-taking method , developed over half a century ago, is a tried-and-true strategy for taking effective notes. It uses two top columns (the “cue” and “note” columns), together with a single bottom row (the summary section), to record notes. 

The method is versatile, usable for most subjects, and one of the simplest yet most effective note-taking methods. By mastering the Cornell system, you’ll always have at least one solid note-taking skill under your belt. The Cornell system is one of the most popular note-taking strategies in the world for a good reason.

• Organized and systematic for both recording and reviewing notes
• Time-efficient and requires little effort,
• Taking Cornell notes is very easy to learn,
• Suitable for most subjects (except equation-based subjects),
• Fulfills a  natural learning cycle  within one single page,
• Ideal for extracting major concepts and ideas.
• Requires creating or purchasing Cornell-style pages,
• Large quantities of Cornell notes can be challenging to organize,
• Not great at reducing the size of notes,
• Research on the Cornell method  is mixed.

The Cornell method is a variant of the split-page note-taking method  (also known as the two-column method). Try the split-page method if you are finding the Cornell method a bit too restrictive but you like the basic approach of cues or keywords combined with more detailed notes.

Boxing Note-Taking Method

Best for:  Digital note-taking with a stylus pen

The  boxing method of note-taking uses boxes to visually separate topics within a page. While the boxing method was designed for digital devices, it’s a technique that can be easily adapted to handwritten notes. 

Using the boxing strategy results in notes that are visually pleasing and easy to review. The method also takes full advantage of digital-only features such as lassoing, resizing, and moving notes after writing. Together with mind mapping, it’s one of the most effective note-taking strategies for visual learners.

• Takes advantage of digital note-taking tools,
• Great for learners with a visual learning style,
• Aesthetically pleasing notes,
• Notes reduce well.
• Slightly time-intensive,
• Not always practical for note-taking during lectures.

Charting Note-Taking Method

Best for:  Recording facts and statistics

Difficulty level:  Hard

The  charting method of note-taking , also known as “matrix note-taking,” uses charts to classify information within rows and columns. While the method is not usable for many subjects, it is a remarkable tool under the right circumstances. This method is best used with subjects with factual or statistical information that can be categorized into tables.

On the other hand, it’s not suitable for note-taking during live lectures, very detailed topics, and subjects where the space relationships between content are essential. It’s also not well-suited for subjects that have many equation-based problems.

• A compelling method for subjects with lots of facts and statistics,
• Easy comparisons between different topics,
• Reduces note sizes better than any other method,
• Charted notes are straightforward and efficient to review,
• Very efficient for studying comparisons.
• Unsuitable for most subjects,
• Requires a basic understanding of the topic,
• Very time-intensive.

Mapping Note-Taking Method

Best for:  Analyzing visual connections between key ideas and concepts

The mapping method of note-taking , also known as “concept mapping,” connects different thoughts, ideas, concepts, and facts through visualization. Both Leonardo Da Vinci’s and Albert Einstein’s notebooks reportedly contained mapping-style notes that connected drawings to words and notes.

The mapping method starts with a central topic in the middle of the page before branching into smaller subtopics, supporting topics, and more minor details. The method provides a one-of-a-kind graphical overview of lecture content that is irreplaceable for visual learners. 

Mapping is best used in content-rich college classes where the information is structured. However, taking notes in a live class with this method is very rarely possible due to its time-consuming nature.

 Advantages:

• An excellent method for visual learning styles,
• It gives a comprehensive overview of a large subject,
• It helps you understand the connections between small elements within a major topic,
• Maximizes active participation,
• Reviewing mapped notes is very efficient.

 Disadvantages:

• Requires a good understanding of the topic,
• Requires strong concentration,
• It cannot be used effectively during class,
• It can be difficult to correctly include all relationships ,
• Mapping is very time-consuming.

Sentence Note-Taking Method

Best for:  Quick, unstructured note-taking

Difficulty level:  Very easy

The  sentence method of note-taking uses sentences separated by lines to quickly transcribe as much information as possible from the information source. It requires quick handwriting or typing skills to be used effectively, and it’s likely the most commonly used note-taking method due to its simplicity. 

Using the sentence method results in oversized notes that are notoriously difficult to review afterward. However, the sentence method can sometimes be the only viable choice for fast-paced, unstructured lessons you’re unprepared for. It’s often a good idea to rewrite notes taken with the sentence method after class.

Try not to rely on this method when you have a choice, but keep it as a backup plan when you can’t use an alternative note-taking strategy.

• It can be used for any subject and type of class,
• Very easy to implement,
• Suitable for quick note-taking during class.
• Reviewing sentence method notes after class is difficult and time-consuming,
• No inter- and intra- relationships between notes are visible,
• The main points are indistinguishable from more minor details,
• Quick handwriting or typing speed required,
• No element of metacognitive note analysis during note-taking.

Blurting Note-Taking Method

Best for:  Studying and memorizing complex topics

Difficulty level: Medium

Unlike passively highlighting text or rereading notes, the Blurting Method is truly one of the most efficient ways to understand where you are at in your knowledge and do something about it at the same time.

The blurting method of note-taking is an  active recall  technique that can be used to help you learn and remember information. Active recall is basically a learning technique that involves testing yourself on the material that you’re trying to learn and has been shown to be a very effective way to make.

The blurting method, at its simplest, is reading a section of text or notes, then closing them and writing down as much of the information as you can remember. This makes your brain work harder to retain the information, making it really hammer the info down into your long-term memory.

• It can help you identify the areas where you need to focus in your study time, thus making sure that the gaps in your knowledge are covered.
• It gives you a better understanding of the material, as you are forced to put the information into your own words.
• Recall ensures information is retained longer.
• It’s a flexible method that can be modified to suit your needs.
• The method can be used on any type of written learning material – but also after listening to lectures and online course videos.
• This method is time-consuming, and some might find it tedious.
• It does not replace note-taking during on-going lectures.
• It is mentally taxing.
• It is not the most efficient method for memorizing a lot of facts – use flashcards or a similar method in this case

Q/E/C Note-Taking Method

Best for: Argumentative subjects (such as history, philosophy, and literature)

The Question/Evidence/Conclusion (Q/E/C) method of note-taking is a simple but powerful method for organizing and recording information from lectures. Focused on capturing the big ideas and how they relate to each other, the method is structured around concepts that require arguing and evidence to create a clear and concise summary. Each concept is divided up into three parts: question, evidence, and conclusion.

The Q/E/C is ideally suited for most subjects in the humanities, especially ones that tend to present in an argumentative form, such as history, philosophy, and literature. It is also a very useful method to include in your toolbox for other subjects, including technical ones, where it can be suited for certain classes.

The method is also an excellent way to outline or plan for your essays, as it helps you develop a clear structure and will likely help you identify additional questions and counterarguments along the way that you may need to consider.

• Helps you focus on the bigger picture
• Helps you keep track of the relationship between the overall topic and the arguments/evidence
• An excellent way to clearly record more argumentative presentations
• Clear way of presenting arguments and counterarguments
• Forces you to synthesize arguments and write a conclusion
• A good fit for the humanities and non-technical subjects
• Matches the way many lecturers present (and view the world)
• Useful method for outlining argumentative essays
• Less suitable for technical subjects or for concepts with more complex relationships
• Challenging to use during fast-paced or poorly structured lectures
• Requires concentration and reflection
• Can be difficult to use if you don’t yet have an overall grasp of a new subject

Morse Code Note-Taking Method

Best for: Quickly absorb large volumes of course material in argumentative subjects.

Difficulty level: Hard

A fairly recent addition to the realm of note-taking methods – but one that many academics swear by – is the Morse Code note-taking method , a variant of the Q/E/C method . Not to be confused with Morse Code itself, this note-taking method uses dots and dashes to mark up course literature while you are reading it . Importantly, it enables you to keep reading while taking notes rather than pausing to jot down your notes.

Dots are used to denote the main ideas, and dashes for supporting facts, arguments, and examples. After you have finished reading the entire text, you use your notes in the margin to type up notes and then condense them into a format that is useful for further review.

• As you do not stop reading, it is among the most efficient methods for covering larger quantities of text.
• It helps extract the main and supporting points from a text.
• It promotes active reading through the note-taking
• It facilitates reading comprehension and critical thinking through the decoding and condensing stages.
• It is not applicable to all types of reading material (in particular, material that is not structured in an argumentative academic style).
• Very little information is captured in your notes – if you wait too long to decode your notes, you may have forgotten the context.
• Less suitable for readers who tend to lose their focus when engaging in continuous reading (who may benefit from pausing and processing their notes paragraph by paragraph or page by page.

Flow Note-Taking Method

Best for: Understanding interrelationships between concepts at a higher level

While linear note-taking methods (such as the sentence and outline methods) have their place in your toolkit, you will want to complement these with non-linear methods that force you to actively engage with the topic at hand as a whole. Using such methods translate into a better understanding of an area and how its different component parts relate to each other. One of the main non-linear approaches that you should become familiar with is the flow method of note-taking .

It can look similar to the mapping method, but the focus of this method is on the higher-level concepts and ideas and how they relate to each other. Detailed descriptions and paraphernalia have to take a step back. The relationships are indicated using arrows and lines, in whichever way you find useful.

• The flow method aims to have you learn during class by having you engage actively with the content.
• Even though you are actively learning during class, you also get useful notes for revision – while the notes are not in the most useful format for revision, they tend not to be terrible
• It’s a flexible method that suits most subjects.
• It is a good choice for note-taking after having followed a class or after having read all material to solidify your understanding.
• The method can be personalized to suit individuals’ needs and preferences.
• The flow method is not well suited for topics of which you have no prior understanding, as it can be difficult to pick out what is more or less important and figure out how they relate to each other during the class.
• While engaging mainly with the bigger picture, you risk missing important details during lectures.
• Flow notes can easily turn out quite messy and are not ideal for revision (you can try to mitigate this by adding cue words to your notes to prompt you to describe relationships during revisions).
• It can be difficult to find the time to actively engage with a topic during fast-paced lectures, forcing you to take detailed notes and apply the flow method after class instead.
• Practice with the method is needed as you need to figure out how to best use it to suit your learning style.

REAP Method

Best for: Active reading to build deeper understanding of texts

The REAP method (Read, Encode, Annotate, Ponder) was developed by Marilyn Eanet and Anthony Manzo at the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1976 as a response to what they saw as inadequate teaching methods for developing active reading. The method is designed to help students be able to understand the meaning of texts through reflecting and communicating on their content.

REAP consists of four stages:

• Reading:  Reading the text provided to identify the ideas expressed by the author.
• Encoding:  “Encoding” the main ideas identified in the text in your own words.
• Annotating:  Writing “annotations” of the ideas, quotes, etc., in the text.
• Pondering:  Reflecting on the content and writing comments or criticisms of the text, and discussing with others.

This will make you return to a text multiple times, each time from a different vantage point, and let you gradually analyze the text at a higher and higher level.

• A scientifically proven effective method for improving reading comprehension and recall
• Helps build capacity to engage critically with texts
• Provides a framework for re-engaging with a text from multiple vantage points
• Method that takes a lot of time, focus, and mental energy
• Not suitable for note-taking during lectures
• Less suitable for all texts (such as some college textbooks) or learning purposes (such as more detailed memorization)

Focused Question Clusters Method

Best for: Preparing for multiple-choice or other fact-based tests

Focused Question Clusters is a method, proposed by Cal Newport, to help students use their textbooks and existing lecture notes to prepare for MCQ-style exams by writing questions and then quizzing themselves. 

Focused Question Clusters involve the following main steps:

• Identify your main topic and the relevant subtopics.
• For each subtopic, write a series (or a “cluster”) of questions that relate to it, covering the main points. The questions should be clear and possible to answer with a few words.
• Write a few background topics to the topic as a whole.
• Use these questions to review (you might want to employ one of the relevant study methods for how you quiz yourself, such as active recall )

Although this kind of rapid-fire questions will help most with preparing for multiple-choice style exams, the engagement with the material will also help your brain to make the connections to get a deeper understanding of the topic.

• An effective way to gain and retain knowledge about a topic
• Particularly effective for MCQ-style exams
• A useful tool for studying in groups
• Question drafting can be divided up and the results shared as a resource between students studying together
• Drafting the questions takes a considerable amount of time and effort
• Not the best way to engage with more argumentative topics

Highlighting Method

Best for: Quickly marking up a text that you plan to review later on.

Difficulty level: Easy

Highlighting is a popular study technique that involves marking important passages in a text. The overall idea is to highlight important points in a text – common ones are key numbers, dates, names, and other key points – that can then be easily spotted when reviewing the whole material. In its pure form, it does not involve writing any notes, but in practice, it is often combined with   other note-taking methods .

This a useful method for students, researchers, and anyone else who needs to go through a lot of material as it allows them to quickly find the information they need later on. Note, however, that while this method is very commonly used, it has been the topic of scientific studies that have found it of questionable value for studying.

• Easy to get started with.
• Does not require writing.
• Provides you with a marked-up text that can help you revise more efficiently.
• It’s easy to go on autopilot with the method and become a passive reader rather than actively engaging with the text.
• Studies have found it to be of questionable value.

Sander Tamm

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to do homework: 15 expert tips and tricks.

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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As much as we don’t want to let go of summer, we have to admit that our heartbeats quicken at the thought of shiny new school supplies . Whether you’re heading off to high school or college, this is the perfect time to reevaluate your study habits and adopt some new tools. To help you prepare, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite note-taking strategies that will help you power through the semester.

• Use a separate notebook for each class.
• Incorporate note-taking systems that help you process information.
• Attach index tabs to pages you reference often.
• Use different loose leaf sheet styles according to your notes.
• Create summaries and revisit them to refresh your memory.
• Use translucent sticky notes to trace important diagrams.
• Use multiple colors to color-code your notes.
• Pinpoint important information with highlighters.
• Sketch out general ideas on a whiteboard.
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If you prefer keeping your notes in a binder , consider using a set of dividers to keep your notes organized.

The Ruled Maruman Spiral Note Basic Notebook has tick marks at the top and bottom of the page that make it incredibly easy to draw vertical lines. Don’t forget a ruler to keep your lines neat! We like the Midori Multi Ruler because it’s compact when folded, yet extends to cover the length of a B5 notebook.

If you need to draw attention to a specific passage, try Beverly Cocosasu Page Markers . Tear the page marker at the microperforation and use the short end to point directly at a line, then bookmark the page with the long end.

Summaries can be created on index cards , though they can be difficult to keep organized. These Kokuyo Tack Memo Sticky Notes are large enough to fit a paragraph of text and can be attached directly to the start of a section. If you take notes on loose leaf paper, you can use Mini B7 Maruman Loose Leaf Papers as flash cards. These loose leaf sheets are available in a variety of sheet styles and fit neatly in compatible binders .

However, we do recommend limiting yourself to three or four colors. Using a dozen colors can overwhelm you and make your notes more difficult to parse when you revisit them.

Our project planning guide isn’t specifically about studying, but we share tips on how to use whiteboards to examine problems and brainstorm solutions that students may find helpful.

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11 Helpful Note-Taking Strategies Your Students Should Know

It’s a skill they can use later in life too.

We’ve all been there: You’re delivering a lecture full of insight, but students haven’t even picked up a pencil. Yes, today’s students expect printouts, class web pages, and graphic organizers, but good old-fashioned note-taking is still a skill they should master. Here’s why, along with some note-taking strategies they should try.

Why is it important for students to have good note-taking skills?

When it comes to learning and remembering information, study after study has shown the importance of actively taking notes rather than passively reading a handout later on. The act of writing engages different parts of the brain, forging new pathways that help students retain information in long-term memory.

What’s more, the studies show that the more detailed the notes, the better. And using different note-taking strategies helps too. In some cases, a general outline can be effective. But when you want students to analyze the content, encouraging charting or mapping can be more helpful.

One more good reason to learn to take notes? It’s a skill we use throughout our entire lives. Most jobs require you to be able to take notes during meetings or other activities so you can refer back to them later on. Adults use note-taking strategies on a regular basis, so teaching kids the skill early on will help them succeed later in life.

Digital vs. Handwritten Notes

There’s a lot of discussion these days about whether handwriting notes is better than typing them on a computer. Some worry that the digital devices themselves serve as too much of a distraction. When kids aren’t taking notes, they might be browsing the web, playing games, or sending each other messages instead of participating in the lesson. Others wonder if typing is less effective than handwriting when it comes to retaining information.

The research is still out on whether handwritten notes are better than digital. Some studies say that handwriting is better for learning, while others note that many people type faster than they write, enabling them to take more complete notes that way. And those who have dysgraphia or other learning disabilities should be able to take notes in the way that suits them best. Read more arguments from both sides here.

Graphic Organizers

Many teachers use what’s called “structured note-taking” in their classrooms. They provide easy-to-read graphic organizers that only require students to write in specific information. Learn more about graphic organizers here.

This is an excellent beginning strategy that enables students to grasp difficult concepts and focus on content and connections. But students should also learn to take notes from scratch. After all, in real life, the most they’re likely to get is a printed agenda for a meeting. They’ll need to know how to capture the important points themselves.

General Tips for Taking Good Notes

Ultimately, what’s most important is that students learn to take notes, period. Whatever method or strategies they choose, the key is having information in their own words they can return to later when they need to review and study. Here are some general tips to share with your students.

• Focus on recording the main points of the lesson. Listen for key words and phrases, but don’t try to frantically write everything you hear.
• Try to summarize the information in your own words rather than writing down the teacher’s words verbatim. Write your notes in a way that will make sense to you later on.
• Jot down words you’re unfamiliar with or confused about and look them up later. Consider circling these words so they’re easy to spot when you’re reviewing your notes later.
• Add color, either while you’re taking notes or later on, with a highlighter. Color helps show relationships between concepts, and it engages the brain better too.
• Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher to repeat something if you feel like you missed it. If you feel like you can’t interrupt, put a star by that section to remind you to ask about it after class.
• If your handwriting is hard to read, or you think you can organize the information in a better way, go ahead and re-copy your notes after class. It’s a good way to reinforce the information too.

Symbols and Abbreviations

Using standard note-taking symbols and abbreviations can be really helpful. There’s no need to memorize all of them at once; choose a few that seem the most useful and give them a try. You can add more as you get better at taking notes. Refer to the chart above for a good list.

Helpful Note-Taking Strategies

The most important thing about learning how to take notes is finding a strategy that works. Each student will have a different favorite strategy, so it’s helpful to expose students to different strategies. These are note-taking strategies that can be used across grade levels and subjects.

Boxing Method

For students who have trouble keeping things organized (including their thoughts), the boxing strategy can be very helpful. Each box contains a complete concept, idea, or category. Adding extra colors with pens or highlighters makes things even better. Boxing is a fairly new note-taking strategy, one that’s gained popularity among college students who take notes on digital devices. But it also works well with handwritten notes.

How it works: Start a box on the page, but don’t draw the fourth line on the bottom. Take your notes inside that box, keeping everything relating to one idea or concept together. When you’re finished with that section, draw the final line to close the box, and begin a new one. (If you’re using a tablet or laptop instead, you can draw a text box instead. It will automatically resize as you work.)

Charting Method

When students need to organize, compare and contrast, or categorize, the charting method comes in handy. It’s simple and easy and works well digitally or when taking notes by hand.

How it works: Draw lines to divide the page into columns and rows. Write headers on the columns (and rows, if necessary). As you take notes, put the information into the appropriate place on the chart. It’s that simple.

Cornell Note-Taking Method

The Cornell method is more than just a note-taking strategy. It offers tips on how to use notes after class for studying too. Cornell University professor Walter Pauk created this method in the 1950s. Others quickly adopted it, since it’s easy to learn and has been proven to help students learn.

How it works: Divide a page into two columns. The wider column on the right is the Notes column. Here, take concise notes during class, capturing keywords and other important information. Leave space across the bottom of the page or section for the summary, which you’ll complete after class. This is the space for a brief overview of what was covered.

The left-hand column is known as the Cue column. Use it after class to write review questions that relate to the information in your notes. Then, cover up the Notes section and try to answer the questions in the Cue column. Take some time to reflect on the information, making connections and evaluating what you’ve learned. At the end of each week, review all of the notes you’ve taken to reinforce the learning.

Mapping Method

The mapping method is terrific for visual learners, as it helps show the connections between main points and supporting details. It’s also helpful for analyzing and evaluating content, rather than just writing it down. Fun fact: Leonardo da Vinci used this method!

How it works: Start by writing a main topic in the middle of the page. If you like, you can use the same color for all your main topics, then switch to different colors as you add and connect subtopics. Continue to add supporting details where they fit, drawing lines and arrows to note connections. Switch to a new page to begin a new main topic.

Outline Method

This is one of the oldest methods of note-taking, and one most kids learn somewhere along the way. You can teach them to use the standard Roman numeral and lettering/numbering system . Or just use bullet points and dashes to simplify things. This logical strategy works well in nearly any subject.

How it works: Start a main topic to the farthest left on the page. Add subtopics and supporting details on the lines beneath, indenting them slightly:

• Supporting Detail

Start the next main topic all the way to the left, and continue your notes. Rather than writing long sections, try to keep your notes to just key words and phrases, enough to jog your memory later on.

Sentence Method

The sentence method looks similar to the outline method, but it includes much more information. As the name implies, students write full sentences for each line. This requires the ability to write (or type) quickly and is best for students who have mastered both these skills. One benefit to the sentence method is that you’re likely to have more-complete notes to refer to after class.

How it works: Start a topic by writing the main point on one line. On the lines beneath it, add bullet points and a full sentence describing the supporting information. Be sure to use your own words rather than the teacher’s. This ensures you’re fully understanding the information rather than just recording what you hear.

Sketchnotes

Sketchnotes are fairly new but have a real appeal for those who learn best visually. They combine elements of mapping or boxing with meaningful doodles. The colorful result is fun to look at, and some students may retain images better than words.

How it works: There aren’t a lot of rules with sketchnotes. Basically, students should try to capture keywords and important phrases, then add images that help them connect with the topic. Block lettering and other doodles are fun to add too.

Check out: 8 Creative Ways To Use Sketchnotes in Your Classroom

Q/E/C Method

The Question/Evidence/Conclusion method of note-taking is a way to organize and record information from lectures. The Q/E/C note-taking method is ideal for subjects in the humanities, such as history, philosophy, and literature. It helps students keep track of how information is being presented, while focusing on the bigger picture.

How it works: Students organize their notes by listening first for the question being addressed. Then, they write the evidence that answers the question. Finally, they draw a conclusion. At the end of a lecture, students can review their notes and have concise summaries of each main topic.

Flow Method

Flow note-taking is a nonlinear way to take notes. Nonlinear note-taking methods ask students to actively engage with the topic that they’re learning about as they listen. Flow note-taking looks similar to mapping, but the idea here is to connect higher-level ideas and how they relate to each other. Students write the topics and draw arrows to indicate how they connect with each other.

The flow note-taking method is active and requires students to think about what they are learning as they learn it. It’s also flexible, and useful in most subjects. It is best when students have some background knowledge, however.

How it works: Students start by writing one main topic. Then, they jot down the next topic and connect the two to show how they are connected. They write the next topic and continue until they have a web.

REAP Method

The REAP method (Read, Encode, Annotate, Ponder) is an active reading note-taking strategy. The idea is that students are engaging with text by reflecting and thinking about their content. Using REAP helps students improve reading comprehension and recall of information. It also builds students’ ability to engage with text and learn how to engage with complex texts.

How it works: Students complete four stages:

• Reading the text
• Encoding or writing the main ideas of the text in their own words
• Annotating of ideas and quotes in the text
• Pondering or thinking about the text and writing their reflections or discussing with others.

Watch how to use the REAP method with historical texts:

Paragraph Shrinking

Similar to REAP, paragraph shrinking is a way to condense and take notes on what students read. This strategy is a good way for students to focus in on the main idea of a text as they read through. It is useful for both fiction and nonfiction texts, but can be particularly helpful when students are working with nonfiction.

How it works: Students read a paragraph or section of text. Then, write the main topic or event in that section in the margin or on a separate page. Then, they shrink the paragraph further by stating the main idea in 10 words or less.

What note-taking strategies help your students succeed in the classroom? Come share your ideas and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, these are the executive functioning skills kids should learn, grade by grade ..

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Graphic Organizers 101: Why and How To Use Them

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40 Best Note Taking Templates for Effective Learning

Every student is constantly looking for tried and true methods, tools, and techniques to make their study process more effective.

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And note taking on lectures and textbooks is a skill that no student can live without.

Note taking is a convenient way to record any material for future review. It makes it easy to refresh the information in your memory as soon as you look at your notes. It also helps you find out the origin of facts and ideas, as well as your thoughts about them.

Effective note taking will let you:

• Discover and record the main ideas of the covered material
• Focus on the relevant data
• Memorize information faster

The Custom Writing team gathered best note taking techniques that you can use for any discipline, including a textbook note taking template, reading notes template, and many more. Some of the methods offer a multi-purpose design that is effective for a wide variety of classes.

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Plus, all of these notes organizers are broken down into groups for your convenience. You are free to download any of these templates and use them for your classes.

📖 Prepare for Reading

🤔 read and analyze, 📊 compare, contrast, and evaluate, 🗺️ create maps, charts, and outlines, 🧠 analyze plot, events, and characters, 🗃️ organize ideas into a hierarchy, 🖨️ print out, cut, and fill in, 🗣️ discuss in groups.

Before you start reading and analyzing any given text, make sure you’re ready. These two note taking methods will guide you through questions and directions to help you get acquainted with a new textbook or book before you actually start reading it. They will save you a considerable amount of time and effort.

1. Textbook Feature Analysis

This is a template with guidelines to explore a textbook.

Students who need to make an overall evaluation of a textbook before they actually start studying it.

Maybe you’ll discover that you don’t even need to really study it at all!

2. Pre-Reading Notes

This sheet is an effective tool to reinforce your note taking skills. Just scan your book, and answer the questions listed in the right-hand field.

Students who have no time to carefully read a chapter, book, or article but still want to get an A+ on their reading assignment.

Reading literature like novels or plays involves a different approach compared to studying a textbook. In most cases, the meaning of the author’s words is implied, so you have to dive deep into the world of figurative language to finally get to the essence of the words. This section offers note taking methods to help you understand what the author means and learn how to discuss it.

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You can also use some of these techniques to explore certain scientific processes, study historical events, or examine other disciplines more effectively.

3. Process Notes

This one-page chart will help you study the stages of different processes.

Students who need to analyze some process but still want to have fun while studying. This tool can be somewhat entertaining when it comes to visualizing key moments or stages.

4. Reciprocal Notes

Use this note recording method to determine the important events and details of the material you’re studying.

Students asked to dive deep into the details of a plot/social phenomena/artistic work/etc.

Knock your professor’s socks off with your competence: read far below surface level with the help of a few simple questions.

5. Response to Literature

With the help of the stems in this template, you’ll easily assess the material you’ve gotten acquainted with.

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Students who have to express their feelings and attitudes about the literature they’re reading.

6. SQ3R Notes

This name of this effective reading strategy template stands for its five consecutive steps: Survey. Question. Read. Recite. Review.

Students who are asked to go the extra mile when reading a given selection. Following this method is almost a guarantee of getting the highest grade.

This tool combines the features of SQ3R with the Cornell note taking method. Are you ready to quiz yourself by folding over a sheet of paper and answering your own questions?

Those who need to make notes to prepare for exams on reading.

8. Inference Notes

With the target illustration in this template, you might think you’re at a shooting range.

Just incorporate six different facts or examples with their explanations in the target’s outer ring.

Students who have to analyze anyone or anything in any subject. This template works great if you need to come up with your own inferences about a certain fictional character.

9. Think Aloud

We are always thinking while we read, but oftentimes our thinking is not as focused as it should be. Thinking aloud is a strategy to build your comprehension while reading and improve your analytical and speaking skills.

• Readers who tend to think about anything except reading while reading.
• Anyone looking for helpful phrases and sentence stems to develop their thinking aloud skills.

10. Interactive Notes

These Before/During/After notes will accompany you throughout the entire reading process. You should answer the questions in the columns and add brief details, associations, or comments.

Students who need:

• Written notes to instantly recall and discuss the topic they covered.
• Useful prompts for further writing about the piece they’ve read.

11. Summary Notes

This note taking template will smoothly lead you to write a great summary of a chapter, book, or article that you have to speak or write about.

Students who need to present a compelling summary that deserves a high grade.

12. Persuasion Notes

Are you struggling to find and organize facts to persuade someone to take your position?

Then why not use a ready-made note taking template in PDF?

Students who need to write a persuasive essay or simply justify their position about something.

13. Judge’s Notes

This effective note taking strategy prepares you to write a paper in which you state your opinion backed up by solid evidence. With this template, you’ll have a real chance of persuading your opponents.

Students who want to feel what it’s like to bring in a fair verdict supported by strong evidence.

14. Reporter’s Notes

This note taking template allows you to act like a reporter and deeply analyze any material using just seven simple questions as your tool.

Those who need to get to the heart of any matter/issue/problem.

15. KWHL Chart

Despite its strange name, this chart can come in handy. Students should use this tool before, during, and after learning a new topic in any class.

Students who are facing a serious academic struggle. With just four questions, you’ll quickly and effectively address your research problem, no matter how difficult or unusual it is.

As students, you frequently get assignments to:

• Compare and contrast certain things, ideas, features, etc.
• Identify different degrees or categories of things.

These activities are very useful as they develop your critical and analytical thinking and encourage you to get a deeper understanding of the topic.

The templates in this section will facilitate this process for you.

16. Think in Threes Triangle

You’re probably used to comparing and contrasting two objects.

But what about going beyond “yes” and “no” or “good” and “bad”?

Students who have to compare three objects or ideas.

17. T-Chart Notes

You can use this two-column organizer for various assignments and purposes.

Students who have to:

• Compare and contrast anything (e.g. novels, characters, historical events).
• Create a list of causes and effects.

18. Spreadsheet Notes

You can use this generic spreadsheet for almost any subject. This method helps you recognize and embrace many features at once.

Students assigned to compare:

• Novels, events, characters, projects, etc.
• Different features of a certain object/concept.

19. Venn Diagram Notes

A Venn diagram is used to help you compare and contrast different things.

Students who need to find shared and distinct features of ideas, books, facts, characters, events, etc.

20. Continuum

This note taking method in PDF will help you evaluate and organize what you read, write, hear, or watch on a continuum.

Students looking for an easy method to determine different degrees or categories for the given concepts.

Organizing the material you’re learning into maps or charts, as well as outlining it, helps you quickly grasp and review all the necessary facts.

This way you can:

• Arrange your information logically.
• Show relationships.
• Stay consistent.

Feel free to download any of the free note taking templates offered in this section!

21. Cornell Notes

The Cornell method of note taking is a traditional and widely used system to record, review, and retain any material. You can use Cornell notes to write in your notebook, on a sheet of paper, on a wall, on your hand, or on the printed template that you can download here.

Students who need to:

• Organize their notes logically.
• Learn new topics quickly and with ease.

22. Webpage Notes

A blank webpage template works great as a visual organizer for some classes. Look at our imaginary home page for an American History site, and then use the blank template below.

Students who perceive information more easily with notes that look like their favorite webpage layout.

23. Outline Notes

The simple outlining system of note taking is a well-organized strategy if you do it right. You don’t need to edit it too much, and you can add as many ideas as necessary.

Students who not only need to record content but also see relationships between points.

24. Sentence Note Taking

This one’s easy! All you have to do is to put every new fact or idea on a separate line in sentence form. No need to draw anything or to think too hard during the note taking process. Use your textbook to make notes or print out our helpful template.

Students looking for a super-easy note taking method.

25. Cluster Notes (Mind-Mapping)

This multi-purpose note taking method can be used for lectures in any discipline. All you have to do is to create different shapes and insert the relevant data inside them.

Anyone who is looking for:

• A method to organize ideas in the early stages of reading, writing, or thinking.
• A simple strategy to easily perceive and memorize the recorded notes.

26. Sequence Flow Map

Fill in the ovals with the necessary information and discuss your notes in your conclusions.

Students who need a convenient tool to show events or stages in chronological order.

27. Charting Method

The charting method works great if you need to divide your notes into categories, like:

• Similarities
• Take lecture notes in a clear format.
• Process and learn a huge amount of information.

In this category, you’ll find distinct note taking templates to analyze the exposition, setting, or characters of any story you have to read. These tools will help you find meaning even in minor details that you may not have noticed while reading.

Develop your creative and analytical thinking skills with these templates!

28. Plot Diagram

Keep forgetting the key stages of the plot? You don’t need to reread your story or book a thousand times—just use this diagram!

Students who don’t want to read and reread a 700-page book just for one class.

29. Event Spider

As soon as you look at the important events and details of a story listed in this template, you’ll recall all the key moments from the chapter or book you’ve read.

Students who need to prepare for a test on reading. Even students with arachnophobia can use this spider’s sheet without fear.

30. Character Map

The many literary techniques of characterization can be difficult to master. But not with this template for your character assessment!

Students who need to provide more detail about a certain character than just, “She is a super cute and sweet girl (and that’s all I remember about her).”

31. Episodic Notes

You can use this note making method for a wide array of tasks in which you need to visualize and explain the stages of a process.

Students who need to illustrate scenes or stages from a text or topic they’re reading/studying. (Hopefully, you can draw a dog that doesn’t look like a dinosaur.)

32. Target Notes

This style of note taking is a very popular and useful tool when you have to evaluate someone or something by explaining why , when , and to what extent they are important.

Students who have to discuss the level of importance of some concept, idea, character, object, etc.

33. Timeline Notes

This multi-use tool can serve different purposes:

• Conducting scientific experiments
• Studying history
• Doing other activities
• Show the sequence of events/stages
• Determine the relationships between them
• Improve their reading, thinking, and writing skills

If you need to show the hierarchy of certain things or ideas, it’s very easy to do with the help of pyramids. Look at these two templates we’ve prepared for you and use them to organize your material logically or to narrow down your topic.

34. Hierarchical Notes

It’s as simple as ABC: put the most solid, significant, and basic aspects or ideas at the bottom and then go up the pyramid by adding less and less important things.

Students assigned to arrange ideas into a hierarchy.

35. Inverted Pyramid

The Inverted Pyramid is the exact opposite of the Hierarchical Notes listed just above. You can use this strategy to narrow down your topic.

Students who need to narrow down their topic. For example, the general topic of “Jargon” can be narrowed down to “ Is ‘Huh’ a Universal Word? ”

Custom-Writing is here to save your time and effort by offering you templates that you can print out, cut, and use for your studies right away.

36. Critical Reading Bookmarks

This template is great to use as a bookmark while reading. Refer to the template to:

• Make notes about characters
• Answer the given questions for critical analysis

Students who need to analyze a selection they’re reading. This sheet will make sure you keep your notes on hand while reading.

37. Vocabulary Squares

Print and cut out these vocabulary squares to easily analyze new words and quickly memorize them.

Anyone who needs to enrich their vocabulary with new words and phrases. One vocabulary square is worth a thousand words!

38. Idea Cards

There are endless purposes that you can use these Idea Cards for:

• To fill in the names of characters/events
• To discuss important points about them
• To organize them into clusters
• To show their relationships or causes and effects

Students who need to unscramble a multitude of messy thoughts.

“Truth is sprouted in discussion,” right?

We all know that properly structured teamwork is sure to:

• Reinforce skills relevant to both individual and group work.
• Develop skills arising from collaborative efforts.
• Improve your analytical, speaking, and persuasive abilities.

So why not make the best of it?

39. Roundtable Notes

Write a topic or main idea in the middle circle and add four approaches or supporting details around it.

Effective group discussion in which everyone expresses opinions on a certain topic.

40. Lit Circle Notes

This note taking template is a mix of cooperative studying, independent reading, and in-group discussion.

Students who want to play an in-group learning game to discuss literature. Just select your role and play!

No matter what subject you are studying, these templates will save you a considerable amount of time both in the classroom and at home. So don’t just take notes and then rewrite them later—do it right the first time!

Some of the materials in this article were created based on Jim Burke’s templates.

You might also be interested in:

• How to Study Effectively: Tricks to Save Time Studying
• Must-Know Test Taking Tips & Strategies
• Bloom’s Taxonomy—How to Make Your Studying Perfect?
• Bloom’s Taxonomy: Apps to Improve Your Studying
• How To Take Study Notes, 5 Effective Note Taking Methods: Oxford Learning Centres
• Make Your Cornell Notes Template with Word: Productivity Portfolio
• The Best Note-Taking Methods: GoodNotes Blog
• Lecture Note Taking: College of Saint Benedict, Saint John’s University
• Cornell Notes: Wyzant Resources
• Note Taking: Penn State Learning
• Note-Taking Templates: WorksheetWorks.com
• Note Taking: Academic Skills Center
• Note Taking Techniques: AcademicTips.org
• Take Notes by Hand for Better Long-Term Comprehension: Association for Psychological Science
• Note Taking Tips: Chapman University
• Free Online Graph Paper, Cornell Note-taking Lined: Incompetech
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How to take good notes (and how NOT to!)

Learn how to finally take smarter notes. These 8 note-taking strategies will help you to truly master your subject, prepare for your exams, and save hours of study time.

It’s a race against time.

The projector’s light burns brightly against the canvas as the lecturer paces back and forth, the PowerPoint clicker clutched in hand, words spilling from his mouth faster than you can follow them. The lecture hall is hushed, your fellow students bent low to their pages, furiously writing, copying down the information on the slide.

The clock is ticking.

Sweat beads across your forehead—the slide has been up for a whole minute now. Any second, the lecturer is going to raise that clicker and skip to the next slide. But you’re not done yet. Time is running out. You grit your teeth, pen flying furiously across the page of your notebook. Almost finished ... almos—CLICK!

“And as we see on this next slide”

There is hardly a student under the sun who cannot relate to this dramatization. We put so much pressure on ourselves to capture in writing everything our educators tell us and show us that we forget to do the most important thing of all:

Hear what they are saying.

The result is that you walk out of the classroom with next to NO recollection of the lesson.

Sure, you’ll have your notes (which look like they were written by a spider that fell in an inkwell and staggered across the page), but you’ll only look at those again when the next test or exam comes your way. And by that point, you’ll struggle to make head or tail of them.

We’re here to change that.

The team here at Brainscape has spent over a decade rigorously asking ourselves, the scientific literature, and our millions of users what it takes to learn efficiently, comfortably, and conveniently.

What we have discovered has become the foundation and framework of our awesome web and mobile flashcard app , which applies tried-and-tested cognitive learning principles to help students prepare for high stakes exams.

It has also taught us that note-taking is one of the primary tenets of education . Note-taking can vastly improve student learning . Yet, most students have been doing it wrong .

This doesn’t have to be the case.

By taking your focus off the notebook in front of you and returning your attention to your lecturer, you can spend more time learning in class and less time relearning everything from scratch when exam time comes.

So the Brainscape team put our heads together, geeked out on what science has to say, and came up with this super helpful guide on how to take notes well (and how not to), which we now offer to you to help you succeed.

Let’s jump right in!

The secret for how to take notes well: preparation

As students, we think the best way to take notes in class is to be thorough. The more the better . But the tragedy is, for all your efforts, this way of recording information is just not benefiting you as it should. In fact, it’s handicapping you.

While you’re so busy writing everything down, you’re missing out on:

• Engaging in the lecture,
• Hearing what your teacher is saying,
• Processing the information, and
• Asking questions about what’s unclear to you.

This is what genuine learning looks like: listening and engaging in class . The missing link in facilitating this ... is preparation .

Preparing for class beforehand is a fundamental step that almost all students are missing in their note-taking approach.

Okay, so nobody actually reads the textbook before class. But you can!

In other words, the ironic secret to taking better notes isn't as much what you do in class as what you do before it.

Reading the relevant section or chapter before class:

• Fundamentally takes the pressure off of you to write everything down during the lecture,
• Alerts you to what information is to come, which primes your brain for learning,
• Contributes enormously towards your ability to understand the information presented in the lecture,
• Frees up your concentration and focus , which you can now direct at the lecturer and to asking questions,
• Deepens the memories you make of the information, and
• Saves you hours of time later on.

With this preparation done, you can walk into class primed to learn and fully equipped to sit back, listen, engage, and only take notes when needed . Keep reading for a step-by-step on how to best prepare for class.

Use these 8 steps to learn how to take notes

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin (and he’s on the $100 bill so he knows what he’s talking about)

We have 8 steps for effective note-taking strategies. The first four steps are all about how to best prepare and make the most out of your class:

• Step 1: Review the previous lesson
• Step 2: Read through the new material
• Step 3: Write down any questions you might have
• Step 4: Make preliminary notes before class

Step 1. Review the previous lesson

In most subjects, the concepts you learn today logically support the concepts you learn tomorrow. If you don’t know what the heck is going on, anything new you’re exposed to isn’t going to have a framework to fit into, which makes remembering it so much harder.

Ergo, by reviewing the previous lesson’s notes, you (1) reinforce the information you learned (which is critically important ) and (2) provide a stable foundation for the new information you’ll be exposed to today.

It’s kind of like reading the previous page of a novel to remind yourself of what’s going on in the story before reading on.

Step 2. Skim through the new material

Being primed to learn makes your brain receptive to new information. So, read through the sections your lecturer intends to cover in the next lesson before you arrive for class.

Reading ahead in the textbook takes new information you need time to process, and makes it familiar. Then, in class, you can focus on consolidating that information and filling in the gaps.

This may feel super nerdy. Who reads the textbook before class? But think about it. You're gonna have to eventually read the chapter anyway . If reading it before the lecture is so much more effective, why not do it in this order?!

The idea here is not to memorize or become 100% confident in the material but rather to establish:

• A high-level view of what’s to come,
• A preliminary understanding of the chapter’s key concepts, and
• An idea of the concepts you might struggle with.

It also makes you curious to fill in the gaps ... and a curious student is an engaged student!

Step 3. Write down any questions you might have

Once you’ve finished reading the chapter, think about some questions you should ask to bridge any gaps in your understanding.

For example: let’s say you’ve read a chapter on thunderstorms, and you mostly understand the atmospheric requirements for their formation. But cloud electrification makes you say "DOH!" harder than Homer Simpson. You might write the following questions:

• How do particles within a cloud become positively and negatively charged?
• Why do the positive ions travel upwards while the negative ions travel earthwards?
• Do people who play golf in thunderstorms have a lower-than-average IQ?

Simply jotting these specific questions down awakens your powers of metacognition.

Oooh, aaah.

Metacognition is your awareness and understanding of your own thought processes and using it prompts your brain to form deeper memory traces .

In your head, it might sound a little like this: “Do I fully understand this concept? Or could I use some clarity on a few points?”

This type of inquiry encourages engagement in class and puts your brain into problem-solving mode , both of which are powerful for learning and remembering. And this takes the pressure off the note-taking in class, since you’ll already know the information your lecturer will be presenting.

Step 4. Make preliminary notes before class

Now your task is to create your own chapter outline with preliminary notes from the textbook. The idea is to have the basic structure of the chapter with its main concepts laid out in logical connection with one another, leaving plenty of space for you to write down additional information in class.

Keep this summary succinct and with only the key points, concepts, and definitions from the chapter written down. Anything time-consuming is probably going to deter you from doing this all-important prep work so keep it concise! You can go into greater detail where your understanding falters and you may require richer explanations.

With your preparation done, we will now address how to take good notes during and after class with the following four steps …

• Step 5: Note-taking in class
• Step 6: Consolidate the material
• Step 7: Transform the salient concepts into flashcards
• Step 8: Reframing content as concept maps

Step 5. Note-taking in class

With your preliminary notes done, you can focus on the lecture, using the spaces you’ve left to flesh out the information rather than writing everything from scratch. Just remember to remain calm and keep your perspective on the material so that you don’t slip back into your old habits.

Also, keep a record in the margin of your page of the most important points so that you can turn these into flashcards later (more on this in a moment!).

Pro Tip: If the information in a particular lecture is super important, or the course you’re taking critical to your overall education, you could even use your device to make an audio or even video recording of it. This frees you up to pay total attention in class rather than writing down notes.

But, be SUPER sparing with this technique . It has the nasty habit of making students lazy and seducing them to put off the necessary preparation and consolidation work until right before the exam. It can also be time-consuming working through 23 hours of audio/video content! Like people who take videos of fireworks displays, you might both miss the moment and then never look at the video again.

Step 6. Consolidate the material

Before the lecture (with your preparation work) you were introduced to the chapter’s concepts for the first time. During the lecture, these concepts were reinforced and expanded upon. Now, after the lecture—ideally within 24 hours of it—you should sit down with your notes and combine everything you have into Version 2.0: your new, improved, and rewritten sexy study notes!

This consolidation of your study notes after class strengthens the memory traces you’ve created in your brain, while also helping you to understand the section’s most important concepts and paraphrase them in your own words . It also leaves you with a valuable learning asset, which you can use for studying for tests and exams!

Step 7. Transform the salient concepts into flashcards

What you really need to do after taking notes is to transform them into a format that you can actively study later. And this is best done by turning the material’s salient points into Cue/Target pairs (i.e. Question/Answer card), which you can review in a custom pattern based on how well you know each one.

That’s right: we’re talking about flashcards . And, naturally, flashcards are Brainscape’s favorite study tool!

Flashcards have been used for centuries by serious students to efficiently learn knowledge-intensive subjects, from biology, science, and medicine to history, law, and language.

What flashcards essentially do is break subjects up into their fundamental (and manageable) bite-sized facts, making them much easier to digest. They also leverage your brain's innate wiring to help you absorb information by engaging:

• Active recall: Thinking of the answer from scratch rather than passively reading through your notes or textbook,
• Spaced repetition: Repeating your exposure to the information in order to better memorize it.
• Metacognition: Assessing the strength of your knowledge as you go.

Decades of cognitive science research and thousands of academic studies prove this method's effectiveness.

[ Use Brainscape to start studying with flashcards ]

Just remember , no matter how great the flashcard tool you use—and Brainscape is pretty great—if you didn't first record and consolidate your notes effectively, you may be missing the key content that’s likely to be on your exam!

Step 8. Reframing content as concept maps

Finally, if your subject is riddled with complex, interrelated topics, it might also make sense to transform the content into a mind map or concept map. These are useful, adjunctive tools for consolidating information presented in your textbook and in class. And they have the added benefit of engaging your critical thinking skills, which form more permanent, long-term memories.

BUT while concept maps are great exercises to consolidate notes after the lecture , they are not the best format for studying that information later on. Similar to reading a textbook, simply staring at a concept map only engages your brain on a passive level and doesn’t establish any strong, meaningful connections to that information. This tends to form shallow memories that disappear quickly.

Flashcards, on the other hand, compel you to actively recall information (by answering questions) and repeat difficult concepts to you more often, which, as we have explained, establishes deeper memory traces.

So, be cautioned: making concept maps can be a useful tool, but if you think that continually reviewing them will help you prepare effectively for your exam, you might be making a version of the #1 biggest studying mistake !

What about the Cornell Method of note-taking?

Most resources that dive into how to take good notes mention the “ Cornell Method ”: a systematic format for condensing and organizing notes designed for high school or college level students. Very briefly, the Cornell Method pivots on the same approach we have discussed in this article (record, question, recite, reflect, and review) but requires students to divide their page into two columns with keywords and questions on the left and discussion on the right.

You can also combine this with the visual icons for deeper learning.

The Outline Method is another popular note-taking strategy (also for college-level students). An outline naturally organizes the information in a highly structured, logical manner, forming a skeleton of the subject. This can later serve as an excellent study guide when preparing for exams.

Which note-taking method works the best? Quite simply: the one that works for you .  Nowadays, most of us tend to take our notes digitally anyway (e.g. in a Google doc), so it's increasingly easy to move your notes around or turn them into an outline after the fact, rather than sweating precisely how we divide a sheet of paper before even beginning to record any information.

Writing smarter (not harder): a summary

Now you know how to take notes the right way; follow these steps:

• Step 1: Remind yourself what you learned the day before

All of this—the pre-reading, preliminary note-taking, jotting down of questions, information consolidation, and flashcard-making—may sound like a lot of extra work .

It is the work you should be doing to (1) truly master your subject, (2) prepare for your exams throughout the semester, and (3) save yourself hours of study time later on, not to mention the anxiety that comes with cramming an entire semester’s worth of information into a few days or weeks.

The note-taking approach we have outlined in this guide sets the excellent students apart from the mediocre ones, who have only average results and a nasty case of carpal tunnel to show for their efforts. So, go forth and write smarter (and not harder) with our eight steps on how to take good notes!

Chang, W. & Ku, Y. (2014). The effects of note-taking skills instruction on elementary students’ reading. The Journal of Educational Research, 108 (4), 278–291. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2014.886175

Kiewra, K. A. (2002). How classroom teachers can help students learn and teach them how to learn. Theory Into Practice, 41 (2), 71-80. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4102_3

Rahmani, M. & Sadeghi, K. (2011). Effects of note-taking training on reading comprehension and recall. The Reading Matrix, 11 (2). https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/85a8/f016516e61de663ac9413d9bec58fa07bccd.pdf

Flashcards for serious learners .

3.4 Helpful Note-Taking Strategies

Questions to Consider:

• How can you prepare to take notes to maximize the effectiveness of the experience?
• What are some specific strategies you can employ for better note-taking?
• Why is annotating your notes after the note-taking session a critical step to follow?

Beyond providing a record of the information you are reading or hearing, notes help you organize the ideas and help you make meaning out of something about which you may not be familiar, so note-taking and reading are two compatible skill sets. Taking notes also helps you stay focused on the question at hand. Taking notes during presentations or class lectures may allow you to follow the speaker’s main points and condense the material into a more readily usable format. Strong notes build on your prior knowledge of a subject, help you discuss trends or patterns present in the information, and direct you toward areas needing further research or reading.

It is not a good habit to transcribe every single word a speaker utters—even if you have an amazing ability to do that. Most of us don’t have that court-reporter-esque skill level anyway, and if we try, we would end up missing valuable information. Learn to listen for main ideas and distinguish between these main ideas and details that typically support the ideas. Include examples that explain the main ideas, but do so using understandable abbreviations.

Think of all notes as potential study guides. In fact, if you only take notes without actively working on them after the initial note-taking session, the likelihood of the notes helping you is slim. Research on this topic concludes that without active engagement after taking notes, most students forget 60–75 percent of material over which they took the notes—within two days! That sort of defeats the purpose, don’t you think? This information about memory loss was first brought to light by 19th-century German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus. Fortunately, you do have the power to thwart what is sometimes called the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve by reinforcing what you learned through review at intervals shortly after you take in the material and frequently thereafter.

If you are a musician, you’ll understand this phenomenon well. When you first attempt a difficult piece of music, you may not remember the chords and notes well at all, but after frequent practice and review, you generate a certain muscle memory and cognitive recall that allows you to play the music more easily.

Note-taking may not be the most glamorous aspect of your higher-education journey, but it is a study practice you will carry throughout college and into your professional life. Setting yourself up for successful note-taking is almost as important as the actual taking of notes, and what you do after your note-taking session is equally significant. Well-written notes help you organize your thoughts, enhance your memory, and participate in class discussion, and they prepare you to respond successfully on exams. With all that riding on your notes, it would behoove you to learn how to take notes properly and continue to improve your note-taking skills.

Analysis Question

Do you currently have a preferred way to take notes? When did you start using it? Has it been effective? What other strategy might work for you?

Preparing to Take Notes

Preparing to take notes means more than just getting out your laptop or making sure you bring pen and paper to class. You’ll do a much better job with your notes if you understand why we take notes, have a strong grasp on your preferred note-taking system, determine your specific priorities depending on your situation, and engage in some version of efficient shorthand.

Like handwriting and fingerprints, we all have unique and fiercely independent note-taking habits. These understandably and reasonably vary from one situation to the next, but you can only improve your skills by learning more about ways to take effective notes and trying different methods to find a good fit.

The very best notes are the ones you take in an organized manner that encourages frequent review and use as you progress through a topic or course of study. For this reason, you need to develop a way to organize all your notes for each class so they remain together and organized. As old-fashioned as it sounds, a clunky three-ring binder is an excellent organizational container for class notes. You can easily add to previous notes, insert handouts you may receive in class, and maintain a running collection of materials for each separate course. If the idea of carrying around a heavy binder has you rolling your eyes, then transfer that same structure into your computer files. If you don’t organize your many documents into some semblance of order on your computer, you will waste significant time searching for improperly named or saved files.

You may be interested in relatively new research on what is the more effective note-taking strategy: handwriting versus typing directly into a computer. While individuals have strong personal opinions on this subject, most researchers agree that the format of student notes is less important than what students do with the notes they take afterwards. Both handwriting notes and using a computer for note-taking have pros and cons.

Managing Note-Taking Systems

Whichever of the many note-taking systems you choose (and new ones seem to come out almost daily), the very best one is the one that you will use consistently. The skill and art of note-taking is not automatic for anyone; it takes a great deal of practice, patience, and continuous attention to detail. Add to that the fact that you may need to master multiple note-taking techniques for different classes, and you have some work to do. Unless you are specifically directed by your instructor, you are free to combine the best parts of different systems if you are most comfortable with that hybrid system.

Just to keep yourself organized, all your notes should start off with an identifier, including at the very least the date, the course name, the topic of the lecture/presentation, and any other information you think will help you when you return to use the notes for further study, test preparation, or assignment completion. Additional, optional information may be the number of note-taking sessions about this topic or reminders to cross-reference class handouts, textbook pages, or other course materials. It’s also always a good idea to leave some blank space in your notes so you can insert additions and questions you may have as you review the material later.

Get Connected

Staying organized is a challenge when you are juggling multiple assigned readings and lecture notes, but keeping track of what you have read and heard in lecture improves your ability to study the material and retain it. These resources can provide you with opportunities to sharpen your reading and note-taking game.

Evernote provides students with the opportunity to keep track of tasks and assignment due dates. Users can also connect to Google Calendar, share notes with others, and annotate documents. The app allows for you to access your notes on multiple devices.

The Learning Center , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill provides background information on an array of studying and learning techniques, beyond those listed above. For any that appeal to you or seem to apply to your fields of study, consult other material specifically focused on them.

Note-Taking Strategies

You may have a standard way you take all your notes for all your classes. When you were in high school, this one-size-fits-all approach may have worked. Now that you’re in college, reading and studying more advanced topics, your general method may still work some of the time, but you should have some different strategies in place if you find that your method isn’t working as well with college content. You probably will need to adopt different note-taking strategies for different subjects. The strategies in this section represent various ways to take notes in such a way that you are able to study after the initial note-taking session.

Cornell Method

One of the most recognizable note-taking systems is called the Cornell Method , a relatively simple way to take effective notes devised by Cornell University education professor Dr. Walter Pauk in the 1940s. In this system, you take a standard piece of note paper and divide it into three sections by drawing a horizontal line across your paper about one to two inches from the bottom of the page (the summary area) and then drawing a vertical line to separate the rest of the page above this bottom area, making the left side about two inches (the recall column) and leaving the biggest area to the right of your vertical line (the notes column). You may want to make one page and then copy as many pages as you think you’ll need for any particular class, but one advantage of this system is that you can generate the sections quickly. Because you have divided up your page, you may end up using more paper than you would if you were writing on the entire page, but the point is not to keep your notes to as few pages as possible. The Cornell Method provides you with a well-organized set of notes that will help you study and review your notes as you move through the course. If you are taking notes on your computer, you can still use the Cornell Method in Word or Excel on your own or by using a template someone else created.

Now that you have the note-taking format generated, the beauty of the Cornell Method is its organized simplicity. Just write on one side of the page (the right-hand notes column)—this will help later when you are reviewing and revising your notes. During your note-taking session, use the notes column to record information over the main points and concepts of the lecture; try to put the ideas into your own words, which will help you to not transcribe the speaker’s words verbatim. Skip lines between each idea in this column.

Practice the shortcut abbreviations covered in the next section and avoid writing in complete sentences. Don’t make your notes too cryptic, but you can use bullet points or phrases equally well to convey meaning—we do it all the time in conversation. If you know you will need to expand the notes you are taking in class but don’t have time, you can put reminders directly in the notes by adding and underlining the word expand by the ideas you need to develop more fully.

As soon as possible after your note-taking session, preferably within eight hours but no more than twenty-four hours, read over your notes column and fill in any details you missed in class, including the places where you indicated you wanted to expand your notes. Then in the recall column, write any key ideas from the corresponding notes column—you can’t stuff this smaller recall column as if you’re explaining or defining key ideas. Just add the one- or two-word main ideas; these words in the recall column serve as cues to help you remember the detailed information you recorded in the notes column.

Once you are satisfied with your notes and recall columns, summarize this page of notes in two or three sentences using the summary area at the bottom of the sheet. This is an excellent time to get with another classmate or a group of students who all heard the same lecture to make sure you all understood the key points. Now, before you move onto something else, cover the large notes column, and quiz yourself over the key ideas you recorded in the recall column. Repeat this step often as you go along, not just immediately before an exam, and you will help your memory make the connections between your notes, your textbook reading, your in-class work, and assignments that you need to succeed on any quizzes and exams.

The main advantage of the Cornell Method is that you are setting yourself up to have organized, workable notes. The neat format helps you move into study-mode without needing to re-copy less organized notes or making sense of a large mass of information you aren’t sure how to process because you can’t remember key ideas or what you meant. If you write notes in your classes without any sort of system and later come across something like “Napoleon—short” in the middle of a glob of notes, what can you do at this point? Is that important? Did it connect with something relevant from the lecture? How would you possibly know? You are your best advocate for setting yourself up for success in college.

Other note organizing systems may help you in different disciplines. You can take notes in a formal outline if you prefer, using Roman numerals for each new topic, moving down a line to capital letters indented a few spaces to the right for concepts related to the previous topic, then adding details to support the concepts indented a few more spaces over and denoted by an Arabic numeral. You can continue to add to a formal outline by following these rules.

You don’t absolutely have to use the formal numerals and letter, but you have to then be careful to indent so you can tell when you move from a higher level topic to the related concepts and then to the supporting information. The main benefit of an outline is how organized it is. You have to be on your toes when you are taking notes in class to ensure you keep up the organizational format of the outline, which can be tricky if the lecture or presentation is moving quickly or covering many diverse topics.

The following formal outline example shows the basic pattern:

• Protection (supporting info about the concept)
• Family-friendly (supporting info about the concept)

You would just continue on with this sort of numbering and indenting format to show the connections between main ideas, concepts, and supporting details. Whatever details you do not capture in your note-taking session, you can add after the lecture as you review your outline.

Chart or Table

Similar to creating an outline, you can develop a chart to compare and contrast main ideas in a note-taking session. Divide your paper into four or five columns with headings that include either the main topics covered in the lecture or categories such as How?, What?, When used?, Advantages/Pros, Disadvantages/Cons, or other divisions of the information. You write your notes into the appropriate columns as that information comes to light in the presentation. The table below provides an example of a table that can help you organize topics in a science course.

This format helps you pull out the salient ideas and establishes an organized set of notes to study later. (If you haven’t noticed that this reviewing later idea is a constant across all note-taking systems, you should take note of that.) Notes by themselves that you never reference again are little more than scribblings. That would be a bit like compiling an extensive grocery list so you stay on budget when you shop, work all week on it, and then just throw it away before you get to the store. You may be able to recall a few items, but likely won’t be as efficient as you could be if you had the notes to reference. Just as you cannot read all the many books, articles, and documents you need to peruse for your college classes, you cannot remember the most important ideas of all the notes you will take as part of your courses, so you must review.

Concept Mapping and Visual Note-Taking

One final note-taking method that appeals to learners who prefer a visual representation of notes is called mapping or sometimes mind mapping or concept mapping, although each of these names can have slightly different uses. Variations of this method abound, so you may want to look for more versions online, but the basic principles are that you are making connections between main ideas through a graphic depiction; some can get rather elaborate with colors and shapes, but a simple version may be more useful at least to begin. Main ideas can be circled or placed in a box with supporting concepts radiating off these ideas shown with a connecting line and possibly details of the support further radiating off the concepts. You can present your main ideas vertically or horizontally, but turning your paper long-ways, or in landscape mode, may prove helpful as you add more main ideas.

You may be interested in trying visual note-taking or adding pictures to your notes for clarity. Sometimes when you can’t come up with the exact wording to explain something or you’re trying to add information for complex ideas in your notes, sketching a rough image of the idea can help you remember. According to educator Sherrill Knezel in an article entitled “The Power of Visual Note-taking,” this strategy is effective because “When students use images and text in note-taking, it gives them two different ways to pull up the information, doubling their chances of recall.” Don’t shy away from this creative approach to note-taking just because you believe you aren’t an artist; the images don’t need to be perfect. You may want to watch Rachel Smith’s TEDx Talk called “Drawing in Class” to learn more about visual note-taking.

You can play with different types of note-taking suggestions and find the method(s) you like best, but once you find what works for you, stick with it. You will become more efficient with the method the more you use it, and your note-taking, review, and test prep will become, if not easier, certainly more organized, which can decrease your anxiety.

Practicing Decipherable Shorthand

Most college students don’t take a class in shorthand, once the domain of secretaries and executive assistants, but maybe they should. That almost-lost art in the age of computers could come in very handy during intense note-taking sessions. Elaborate shorthand systems do exist, but you would be better served in your college note-taking adventures to hone a more familiar, personalized form of shorthand to help you write more in a shorter amount of time. Seemingly insignificant shortcuts can add up to ease the stress note-taking can induce—especially if you ever encounter an “I’m not going to repeat this” kind of presenter! Become familiar with these useful abbreviations:

See the table above for examples of common shorthand symbols and abbreviations. Do you have any other shortcuts or symbols that you use in your notes? Ask your parents if they remember any that you may be able to learn.

Annotating Notes After the Initial Note-Taking Session

Annotating notes after the initial note-taking session may be one of the most valuable study skills you can master. Whether you are highlighting, underlining, or adding additional notes, you are reinforcing the material in your mind and memory.

Admit it—who can resist highlighting markers? Gone are the days when yellow was the star of the show, and you had to be very careful not to press too firmly for fear of obliterating the words you were attempting to emphasize. Students now have a veritable rainbow of highlighting options and can color-code notes and text passages to their hearts’ content.

The only reason to highlight anything is to draw attention to it, so you can easily pick out that ever-so-important information later for further study or reflection. One problem many students have is not knowing when to stop. If what you need to recall from the passage is a particularly apt and succinct definition of the term important to your discipline, highlighting the entire paragraph is less effective than highlighting just the actual term. And if you don’t rein in this tendency to color long passages (possibly in multiple colors) you can end up with a whole page of highlighted text. Ironically, that is no different from a page that is not highlighted at all, so you have wasted your time. Your mantra for highlighting text should be  less is more . Always read your text selection first before you start highlighting anything. You need to know what the overall message is before you start placing emphasis in the text with highlighting.

Another way to annotate notes after initial note-taking is underlining significant words or passages. Albeit not quite as much fun as its colorful cousin highlighting, underlining provides precision to your emphasis.

Some people think of annotations as only using a colored highlighter to mark certain words or phrases for emphasis. Actually, annotations can refer to anything you do with a text to enhance it for your particular use (either a printed text, handwritten notes, or other sort of document you are using to learn concepts). The annotations may include highlighting passages or vocabulary, defining those unfamiliar terms once you look them up, writing questions in the margin of a book, underlining or circling key terms, or otherwise marking a text for future reference. You can also annotate some electronic texts.

Realistically, you may end up doing all of these types of annotations at different times. We know that repetition in studying and reviewing is critical to learning, so you may come back to the same passage and annotate it separately. These various markings can be invaluable to you as a study guide and as a way to see the evolution of your learning about a topic. If you regularly begin a reading session writing down any questions you may have about the topic of that chapter or section and also write out answers to those questions at the end of the reading selection, you will have a good start to what that chapter covered when you eventually need to study for an exam. At that point, you likely will not have time to reread the entire selection especially if it is a long reading selection, but with strong annotations in conjunction with your class notes, you won’t need to do that. With experience in reading discipline-specific texts and writing essays or taking exams in that field, you will know better what sort of questions to ask in your annotations.

What you have to keep in the front of your mind while you are annotating, especially if you are going to conduct multiple annotation sessions, is to not overdo whatever method you use. Be judicious about what you annotate and how you do it on the page, which means you must be neat about it. Otherwise, you end up with a mess of either color or symbols combined with some cryptic notes that probably took you quite a long time to create, but won’t be worth as much to you as a study aid as they could be. This is simply a waste of time and effort.

You cannot eat up every smidgen of white space on the page writing out questions or summaries and still have a way to read the original text. If you are lucky enough to have a blank page next to the beginning of the chapter or section you are annotating, use this, but keep in mind that when you start writing notes, you aren’t exactly sure how much space you’ll need. Use a decipherable shorthand and write only what you need to convey the meaning in very small print. If you are annotating your own notes, you can make a habit of using only one side of the paper in class, so that if you need to add more notes later, you could use the other side. You can also add a blank page to your notes before beginning the next class date in your notebook so you’ll end up with extra paper for annotations when you study.

Professional resources may come with annotations that can be helpful to you as you work through the various documentation requirements you’ll encounter in college as well. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab ( OWL ) provides an annotated sample for how to format a college paper according to guidelines in the Modern Language Association (MLA) manual that you can see, along with other annotations.

Providing Needed Additional Explanations to Notes

Consider this scenario: Marlon was totally organized and ready to take notes in a designated course notebook at the beginning of every philosophy class session. He always dated his page and indicated what the topic of discussion was. He had various colored highlighters ready to denote the different note purposes he had defined: vocabulary in pink, confusing concepts in green, and note sections that would need additional explanations later in yellow. He also used his own shorthand and an impressive array of symbols to indicate questions (red question mark), highly probable test material (he used a tiny bomb exploding here), additional reading suggestions, and specific topics he would ask his instructor before the next class. Doing everything so precisely, Marlon’s methods seemed like a perfect example of how to take notes for success. Inevitably though, by the end of the hour-and-a-half class session, Marlon was frantically switching between writing tools, near to tears, and scouring his notes as waves of yellow teased him with uncertainty. What went wrong?

As with many of us who try diligently to do everything we know how to do for success or what we think we know because we read books and articles on success in between our course work, Marlon is suffering from trying to do too much simultaneously. It’s an honest mistake we can make when we are trying to save a little time or think we can multitask and kill two birds with one stone.

Unfortunately, this particular error in judgment can add to your stress level exponentially if you don’t step back and see it for what it is. Marlon attempted to take notes in class as well as annotate his notes to get them ready for his test preparation. It was too much to do at one time, but even if he could have done all those things during class, he’s missing one critical point about note-taking.

As much as we may want to hurry and get it over with, note-taking in class is just the beginning. Your instructor likely gave you a pre-class assignment to read or complete before coming to that session. The intention of that preparatory lesson is for you to come in with some level of familiarity for the topic under consideration and questions of your own. Once you’re in class, you may also need to participate in a group discussion, work with your classmates, or perform some other sort of lesson-directed activity that would necessarily take you away from taking notes. Does that mean you should ignore taking notes for that day? Most likely not. You may just need to indicate in your notes that you worked on a project or whatever other in-class event you experienced that date.

Very rarely in a college classroom will you engage in an activity that is not directly related to what you are studying in that course. Even if you enjoyed every minute of the class session and it was an unusual format for that course, you still need to take some notes. Maybe your first note could be to ask yourself why you think the instructor used that unique teaching strategy for the class that day. Was it effective? Was it worth using the whole class time? How will that experience enhance what you are learning in that course?

If you use an ereader or ebooks to read texts for class or read articles from the Internet on your laptop or tablet, you can still take effective notes. Depending on the features of your device, you have many choices. Almost all electronic reading platforms allow readers to highlight and underline text. Some devices allow you to add a written text in addition to marking a word or passage that you can collect at the end of your note-taking session. Look into the specific tools for your device and learn how to use the features that allow you to take notes electronically. You can also find apps on devices to help with taking notes, some of which you may automatically have installed when you buy the product. Microsoft’s OneNote, Google Keep, and the Notes feature on phones are relatively easy to use, and you may already have free access to those.

Taking Notes on Non-Text Items (i.e., Tables, Maps, Figures, etc.)

You may also encounter situations as you study and read textbooks, primary sources, and other resources for your classes that are not actually texts. You can still take notes on maps, charts, graphs, images, and tables, and your approach to these non-text features is similar to when you prepare to take notes over a passage of text. For example, if you are looking at the following map, you may immediately come up with several questions. Or it may initially appear overwhelming. Start by asking yourself these questions:

• Who is the intended audience?
• Where is it?
• What time period does it depict?
• What does the map’s legend (the explanation of symbols) include?
• What other information do I need to make sense of this map?

You may want to make an extra copy of a graphic or table before you add annotations if you are dealing with a lot of information. Making sense of all the elements will take time, and you don’t want to add to the confusion.

Returning to Your Notes

Later, as soon as possible after the class, you can go back to your notes and add in missing parts. Just as you may generate questions as you’re reading new material, you may leave a class session or lecture or activities with many questions. Write those down in a place where they won’t get lost in all your other notes.

The exact timing of when you get back to the notes you take in class or while you are reading an assignment will vary depending on how many other classes you have or what other obligations you have in your daily schedule. A good starting place that is also easy to remember is to make every effort to review your notes within 24 hours of first taking them. Longer than that and you are likely to have forgotten some key features you need to include; must less time than that, and you may not think you need to review the information you so recently wrote down, and you may postpone the task too long.

Use your phone or computer to set reminders for all your note review sessions so that it becomes a habit and you keep on top of the schedule.

Your personal notes play a significant role in your test preparation. They should enhance how you understand the lessons, textbooks, lab sessions, and assignments. All the time and effort you put into first taking the notes and then annotating and organizing the notes will be for naught if you do not formulate an effective and efficient way to use them before sectional exams or comprehensive tests.

The whole cycle of reading, note-taking in class, reviewing and enhancing your notes, and preparing for exams is part of a continuum you ideally will carry into your professional life. Don’t try to take short cuts; recognize each step in the cycle as a building block. Learning doesn’t end, which shouldn’t fill you with dread; it should help you recognize that all this work you’re doing in the classroom and during your own study and review sessions is ongoing and cumulative. Practicing effective strategies now will help you be a stronger professional.

What resources can you find about reading and note-taking that will actually help you with these crucial skills? How do you go about deciding what resources are valuable for improving your reading and note-taking skills?

The selection and relative value of study guides and books about note-taking vary dramatically. Ask your instructors for recommendations and see what the library has available on this topic. The following list is not comprehensive, but will give you a starting point for books and articles on note-taking in college.

• College Rules!: How to Study, Survive, and Succeed in College, by Sherri Nist-Olejnik and Jodi Patrick Holschuh. More than just note-taking, this book covers many aspects of transitioning into the rigors of college life and studying.
• Effective Note-taking, by Fiona McPherson. This small volume has suggestions for using your limited time wisely before, during, and after note-taking sessions.
• How to Study in College, by Walter Pauk. This is the book that introduced Pauk’s note-taking suggestions we now call the Cornell Method. It is a bit dated (from the 1940s), but still contains some valuable information.
• Learn to Listen, Listen to Learn 2: Academic Listening and Note-taking, by Roni S. Lebauer. The main point of this book is to help students get the most from college lectures by watching for clues to lecture organization and adapting this information into strong notes.
• Study Skills: Do I Really Need this Stuff? by Steve Piscitelli. Written in a consistently down-to-earth manner, this book will help you with the foundations of strong study skills, including time management, effective note-taking, and seeing the big picture.
• "What Reading Does for the Mind" , by Anne Cunningham and Keith Stanovich, 1998, https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/cunningham.pdf
• How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading, by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren, 1940.
• Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Novel on Connectivity in the Brain, by Gregory S. Berns, Kristina Blaine, Michael J. Prietula, and Brandon E. Pye. https://doi.org/10.1089/brain.2013.0166

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6th September 2020

Creative Homework Ideas

How can you create homework assignments that build on the day’s lessons and encourage creative, student-led learning? It’s a challenge for most teachers, especially as motivating pupils to complete homework can add a whole extra layer to your lesson plans. But it’s essential to bridge the gap between teacher and student learning –  the skills gained through independent study reinforces knowledge from your class, as well as a host of other benefits:

• Extended learning time – outside of the constraints of the school day, students are free to learn at their own pace and in their own environment.
• Independent learning – vital skills for exam preparation and higher education
• Teaches students to be resourceful and to overcome challenges independently.
• Gives students the freedom to be creative in their learning, gain valuable problem-solving skills and confidence in their own abilities.

Tips For Setting Creative Homework

• Plan independent learning both in and out of the classroom – you can monitor students effectiveness and address issues that may arise in the classroom before they become problematic for pupils at home.
• Don’t leave homework assignment to the end of the lesson, rushing through the task might leave some students confused which inevitably leads to a lower homework completion rate. Write plenty of time for explaining homework assignments into your lesson planning – read our Beginner’s Guide To Lesson Planning here
• Homework should to not too easy nor not too hard, offering pupils a challenge that reinforced the topics learnt during the day
• Give room for creative expression – allowing students to add their own diagrams, decorations or chose their own project topics from a selection. 
• Try using peer or self-assessment to mark homework – a double whammy of reducing your workload and allowing pupils to take control of their own learning.
• Include timings and explicit steps for completing more complicated assignments, especially for pupils that you anticipate might struggle. Comprehension of the task is the biggest hurdle in getting pupils to work on an independent basis.
• Self-driven projects, posters, creative tasks and research are more exciting than standard comprehension tasks and might encourage pupils that find sitting and writing dull or hard to complete the homework set – give students the freedom to learn and be creative in their home study.
• Provide specific instructions and internet safety reminders for research-led assignments. It’s very easy for children to find research overwhelming with a vast amount of information available online. Provide suggested websites and links in your homework to keep things on track!
• Don’t introduce a new topic for homework – keep it to topics that you’ve already covered in class
• Taking note of the subjects that excite and engage your class and set homework accordingly – try keeping dryer topics and  for the classroom so that you can monitor engagement
• Mark work promptly – essential to keep students motivated to complete work in their own time!
• Offering students the opportunity to select the homework that they would like to do from a selection guarantees a higher rate of completion. We’ve seen some teachers create grids or sheets of homework assignments for the pupils to select, or offer baskets of activities for younger children to take home and complete with an adult.

Creative Homework Ideas For All Ages

Coming up with innovative ways for students to reinforce their knowledge at home can be difficult – many of these ideas would be suitable for lots of subjects with a little tweaking!

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• Note Taking

How to Organize Notes

Last Updated: January 23, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by David Jia . David Jia is an Academic Tutor and the Founder of LA Math Tutoring, a private tutoring company based in Los Angeles, California. With over 10 years of teaching experience, David works with students of all ages and grades in various subjects, as well as college admissions counseling and test preparation for the SAT, ACT, ISEE, and more. After attaining a perfect 800 math score and a 690 English score on the SAT, David was awarded the Dickinson Scholarship from the University of Miami, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Additionally, David has worked as an instructor for online videos for textbook companies such as Larson Texts, Big Ideas Learning, and Big Ideas Math. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 374,972 times.

Taking notes and keeping them organized is an important part of the schooling and the work worlds. You'll need organized notes for studying, writing essays, keeping track of work decisions, and your assignments. Keeping them organized will not only help you with these tasks, but it will also help you remember your material easily. In this wikiHow, you will learn how to keep track of and organize your notes.

Organizing Notes for Class

• Note down things that the instructor says more than once. Reiterating points is a way of highlighting what the most important material is going to be. Anything that's repeating is probably going to end up on a test or at least be important to understanding the class.

• Be selective (don’t take down every single note): take down the main points of the lecture or discussion; write down examples or hypotheticals, especially in math and science classes.
• A piece of information usually has a main idea and supportive details, which can also be very important, but the main idea is definitely something worth noting. In paragraphs, the main idea is usually either the first or the last sentence. In good presentations, the bullet points on the slides are often main ideas.

• Handwritten notes work best for classes that have to do with: numbers, equations, and formulas–calculus, chemistry, physics, economics, symbolic logic, also language classes because helps you memorize/remember more effectively.
• You can also record the lecture or discussion, if your instructor allows you to do so. This is great for allowing you to go back and listen to very specific parts of the lecture, although it can be harder to make information stick in your memory.
• Make sure you collect any lecture notes and power-point slides that your instructor makes available. These can be valuable notes for essays and exams.

• An effective method is the Cornell method of note-taking. On the left-hand side of the paper mark a two- and one-half inch column (6.35 cm). On the right side have a column six inches across (15.24 cm). You'll use the right-hand column to take notes during your class or lecture. After the lecture, you'll summarize your notes, designate keywords, and create questions about the material in the left-hand column.
• A lot of people use the rough outline method. This basically means writing down the main points of the lecture or class (you can format them as a list of bullet points, for example). After class, write your summary of the notes in a different colored pen, or highlight it.
• Mind mapping is a more visual and creative form of taking notes. You draw your notes, rather than writing down sentences in a linear format. Write the main topic of the lecture or class in the center of a piece of paper. Each time the instructor makes a new point, write those around the central topic. Draw lines to connect different ideas. You can also draw images rather than writing words.
• Another method, known as Split Page Method, is more space-consuming than Cornell notes, but easier to study later. A page is divided into two columns: one for main and the other for secondary ideas.

• Separate your notes by subject. You don't want to mix up your physics notes with your algebra notes!
• On your computer, make sure that you have one folder for your notes from each different class. If you put them all together it's going to be difficult to find them again.
• It's usually easier to store any handwritten notes in a binder, because you can add and subtract pages as needed without having to tear them out.

• These will also usually detail information about the types of essays and information you're going to need to know which can be useful for what kinds of notes you take in class.
• Keep all the syllabi and hand-outs for each class in the same place as your notes so that they are easily accessible, especially when your instructor brings up information on them in class.

• Make sure you keep these different notebooks and binders handy. It isn’t much use to you if you don’t keep putting class notes in the right place.
• The more specific you are, the better. This means that for one class you might create different folders for the different parts of the class. As an example: if you had a film class split into four parts, you might have a different notebook for each part of the class.
• As another example: you have different folders for each section of the class (for Latin class you have a different folder for each different part of speech [nouns, verbs, indirect clauses, etc.]).

• Have folders in those folders for particular information. For example: you have the main folder that's for your Ancient Astronomy class, but inside you have specific folders for the different sections of the class, as well as for the two essays you have to write.
• As another example, you might have a folder for your research paper, a folder for your information about gender identity politics in your gender studies class.

• Combine lecture and reading notes into coherent whole. Figure out main ideas and how they relate. For example: if your class is about Medieval women, the main ideas might be about formation of self, types of writings, notions of autonomy and gender, and so on. You might show how these ideas relate to one another.
• Make sure that you've covered the most important points, as well as the sub-points that support the main points.

• Giving yourself some slack on organization will mean that you won’t maintain your organization and it will be more difficult come exam time or essay time.

Organizing Notes for a Meeting

• Especially, make sure that you note down to-do items, decisions that are made, and anything that needs to be followed up on.
• Take notes on paper and copy them onto the computer later on, this will help you remember what was said.
• An effective method is the Cornell method of note-taking. On the left-hand side of the paper mark a two- and one-half inch column (6.35 cm). On the right side have a column six inches across (15.24 cm). You'll use the right-hand column to take notes during your meeting. After the lecture, you'll summarize your notes, designate keywords, and create questions about the material in the left-hand column.

• Make sure you've noted down the date, the name of the organization, the purpose of the meeting, and the people attending (as well as any people who were absent who should have been there).

• Put a different colored box around the summary so that it is easily readable.
• Summarize don’t transcribe. You do not need every single detail of what was said. For example: you only need to say that it was decided to order a new item of office equipment, rather than the long discussion about the best types of binding machine.

• The most important things you need to make sure you have are: actions, decisions, and reference information.
• Highlight the most important information or leave a margin for keywords and most important ideas.
• Avoid trying to organize during the meeting. Doing that later will help you remember things and will make sure you don’t miss important material.

• Or you can have all the same types of meetings together. For example: if you keep notes on your weekly meeting with your supervisor, you would keep those separate from the notes you keep on the weekly meeting with your entire group.

Expert Q&A

• If you have to send out meeting notes, do so as soon as possible after the meeting has concluded. That way the information is still fresh in the meeting attendees’ minds. [9] X Research source Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Color code your notes. For instance, you could use a blue folder for math class notes and a red binder for reading notes. Thanks Helpful 113 Not Helpful 10
• Make sure that you will be able to understand your notes (after you write them). Thanks Helpful 58 Not Helpful 8

• It's best to strike a balance between taking too many notes and taking too few. You'll only really get a feel for this if you experiment and see what works best for you. Thanks Helpful 70 Not Helpful 11

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/effective-note-taking-in-class/
• ↑ David Jia. Academic Tutor. Expert Interview. 7 January 2021.
• ↑ https://www.murdoch.edu.au/news/articles/the-art-of-note-taking-what-s-really-most-effective
• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/taking-notes-while-reading/
• ↑ https://www.resourcecentre.org.uk/information/taking-minutes/
• ↑ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/take-organized-actionable-meeting-minutes-with-this-simple-online-tool/

About This Article

No matter what type of notetaking you use, you should never write down everything that your professor or boss says. Instead, focus on the main details and key points. Try out various note-taking styles to find what works best for you, like the Cornell method. To use the Cornell method, split each page into sections for note taking, questions, and a summary. Or, you can try the split-page method and divide your page into columns, one for the main ideas and the other for secondary ideas. For more information, like how to store your notes, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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25 Examples of Aesthetic Note Layouts To Steal Right Now

Last Updated on April 29, 2024

Table of Contents

You’ve probably seen them on Instagram, Pinterest, or Tumblr: those cute notes with legible handwriting and tons of colors on the page. Perhaps you have classmates who do these on their notebooks as well. Aesthetic notes have been around for a while, but they’re currently enjoying more spotlight with most people stuck at home .

If you’ve always wanted your science or math notebooks to look Instagram-worthy, then you’re going to need a few pens and highlighters.

Why make aesthetic notes?

Why bother making notes appear cute or colorful?

For one, students learn differently . There are those who learn by doing, while others are more visual. For most kids and teens, notes are their lifeline. It helps them process information faster, as well as make sense out of difficult subject matters.

Second, aesthetic notes can help you study more efficiently because everything looks clean and well-organized. Many of these include helpful elements, too, such as graphs, bullet points, and diagrams. These make notes fun to read and review.

Lastly, cute notes can also benefit the whole class. For those taking digital lessons , why not scan and upload them to help your classmates with tricky topics? Set it up so they can add their own input and thoughts; thereby producing unique notes everyone will enjoy.

Basic tips for aesthetic note-taking

One of the best things about note-taking is that it doesn’t require a lot to get started. If you’ve ignored your notes up to this point, you can always get a fresh start with a new notebook .

First things first: gather essential materials like leaf papers, binders, pens, and highlighters. Don’t worry if you only have a couple of colored pens and no high-quality paper. Make do with what you have for now. Buy what you want later once you get the hang of it.

Next, practice your handwriting . This is perhaps the most important component to aesthetic note-taking. If you hate looking at your handwriting or you envy someone else’s, train your hands so they create beautiful, legible scribbles you – and those around you – can understand.

Another benefit is that your teachers don’t need to suffer while grading your essays. It’s a win-win situation, so try not to skip this process. Soon enough, you’ll find that you’re able to balance consistency and speed. Be patient and practice everyday .

Don’t forget to think about the overall style you want your notes to look like. Search the Web for inspiration. Aside from markers and highlighters, some students add stickers, notepads, and doodles . There’s NO hard and fast rule. Figure out the style that suits your studying habits as well as your personality.

Aesthetic notes to motivate you

Don’t beat yourself up if you draw wonky lines or your headers are uneven. The important things are that a) your notes are correct , and b) you’re having fun ! Despite people posting their notebooks online, keep in mind that notes are still personal – unless you want to share them.

Tiny imperfections are what make these aesthetic notes charming and delightful. So add your own twists. Let this collection of aesthetic notes inspire you to turn studying into an artform.

Posted by: Igor Ovsyannnykov

Igor is an SEO specialist, designer, photographer, writer and music producer. He believes that knowledge can change the world and be used to inspire and empower young people to build the life of their dreams. When he is not writing in his favorite coffee shop, Igor spends most of his time reading books, taking photos, producing house music, and learning about cinematography. He is a sucker for good coffee, Indian food, and video games.

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The 75 Best Aesthetic GoodNotes Templates for 2024 (Free & Paid)

GoodNotes combines the convenience and accessibility of digital notebooks with the flexibility and enjoyment of writing in physical ones . Personalizing your notes and plans is easier than ever, thanks to the sheer amount of aesthetic GoodNotes templates, notebooks, stickers, and covers out there.

To help you find the right GoodNotes downloadables for your needs, we’ve curated the very best and most aesthetic GoodNotes templates, digital stickers, and  GoodNotes covers !

( Prefer using Notability over GoodNotes? Check out our blog post featuring  aesthetic Notability templates .)

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Aesthetic goodnotes digital planner templates.

Map out your days, weeks, months, and even year with an aesthetic GoodNotes digital planner template. Set goals and schedule your days to help you stay focused and keep your mind (and notebooks) clutter-free!

For more planner templates, check out our full round-up of the  best digital planner templates on GoodNotes !

GoodNotes All-in-One Digital Planner Templates

Whether you’re looking for a personal planner to log your days, or a yearly planner to track your goals, we’ve curated the best all-in-one GoodNotes planner templates for you to pick from.

All-in-One Modern GoodNotes Digital Planner

Template Available Here

Minimalist Vertical Digital Planner

Aesthetic Undated Yearly Digital Planner

Undated Retro Planner

‘That Girl’ 2023 Aesthetic Digital Planner

Dark Academia Digital Planner

Undated Yearly Planner for GoodNotes

GoodNotes ADHD Digital Planner

GoodNotes Premium Digital Planner

Life Dashboard Planner – Daily, Weekly, Monthly

Cute Undated Digital Planner Template

The Elegant Planner – Sunrise Theme

Boho Digital GoodNotes Planner

Dark Mode GoodNotes Digital Planner

GoodNotes Daily Planner & Agenda

Keep track of your daily activities, time block your schedule, set affirmations, and more with a GoodNotes daily agenda template!

Daily Mindfulness Digital Planner

Abstract Neutral Luxe Daily Digital Planner

Aesthetic Printable & Digital Daily GoodNotes Planner

GoodNotes Weekly Planner & Agenda

Beat the Sunday scaries and take control of your week using a GoodNotes planner. Map out exactly what you want to accomplish, complete with actionable tasks to make them happen!

Weekly Overview Planner Template

Simple Weekly Undated Planner Template

Weekly Schedule Planner

GoodNotes Monthly Planner, Calendar & Agenda Templates

Make the most of your month by scheduling it all out in a GoodNotes monthly planner! Beyond the work you want to accomplish, you can also use this space to visualize upcoming holidays, errands, birthdays, weekend plans, and more.

Digital Monthly Planner & Life Planner Templates

Don’t spend another minute wondering how to get to where you want to go – use a GoodNotes goal-setting and planning template to clearly map out and reach your milestones, no matter how big or small.

Goal Planning & Tracking Worksheet

90-Day Quarterly Goal Planning Template

GoodNotes Content Creator Planner

Post on social with more intent and consistency with a GoodNotes content creator planner! These planner templates are designed to help you build your profiles from the ground up, keep track of your stats, and stay on schedule with your content planning.

Digital Social Media Planner

Digital Blog & Social Media Planner Bundle

Dark Mode Digital Blog & Social Media Planner Bundle

GoodNotes Aesthetic Journal Templates

“If you overthink, write. If you under-think, read.” — and with these aesthetic GoodNotes journal templates, you can do both! Put your thoughts and feelings to paper with these aesthetic daily journal templates, offering helpful prompts to declutter your mind. You can even use a reading journal template to log your reading list and keep your imagination running!

Daily Digital Journal & Diary Templates

Clear your mind and clear your thoughts by writing them out digitally, no matter where you are, in a GoodNotes journal or diary. Learn more about yourself by answering prompts, setting intentions, adding positive quotes, and more.

Minimalist Digital Daily Journal

Daily Digital Journal Template

Daily Check-In Journal Template

Everyone has different lifestyles, schedules, and ultimately, journaling styles – and the bullet journal model allows for so much customization with minimal time commitment. Here are a few of our favorite GoodNotes bullet journal templates, with different themes for you to choose from!

Realistic Digital Bullet Journal

Digital Bullet Journal Bundle

Neutral Bullet Journal

Paper Texture Digital Bullet Journal

Every bookworm needs a reading journal, and where better to house it than digitally on your iPad? Use a GoodNotes reading journal template to track books you want to read, are reading, or have read, as well as the amount of pages you’ve turned, book notes, and lots more!

Aesthetic Reading Journal, Tracker, and Book Review Template

Digital Reading Journal & Planner Template

Digital Reading & Book Planner Template

Digital Reading Journal, Log, Review, Wishlist Template

Health is wealth – both mentally and physically. Start your days with reflections and positivity using a GoodNotes gratitude, health, and self care journal template. It’s never been easier to keep your mental and physical wellness in check.

Daily Gratitude Digital Journal

Health & Wellness Digital Planner

Template Available

Self Care, Wellness & Health Journal

Aesthetic GoodNotes Templates for Students

An iPad is close to becoming a necessity for students, and the effectiveness of using GoodNotes for school is unmatched. GoodNotes provides the best of both worlds: the tangibility of “writing by hand”, with the convenience and safety net of doing it all digitally – whether it’s highlighting notes, marking up papers, or anything in between (thanks to the  Apple Pencil ).

Using  Notion  and GoodNotes is the perfect one-two punch for students to organize their lives and semesters, all on the same device. Here are some of the most popular and aesthetic GoodNotes templates for students!

Looking for more templates for school? Check out our round-up featuring the  best GoodNotes student templates !

Student Planner Templates for GoodNotes

It’s easy to get overwhelmed during the school year, especially when you have to balance your social life, group projects, exams, expenses, and everything else. Organize your academic life with a GoodNotes student planner, where you can track and manage every aspect of your student life – from grades to groceries!

Digital Student Planner & Academic Agenda

Student Organizer Planner & Notebook

2023 Bundle Digital Student Planner for Productivity

Neutral Digital Student Planner

Aesthetic Student Digital Planner Bundle for GoodNotes

Cornell Notes Templates for GoodNotes

Use the two-column Cornell Notes System to take more efficient notes in class and ace that next exam. Instead of drawing out the note-taking system on paper for every class or reading, use a pre-built Cornell Notes template in one tap with GoodNotes!

Digital Cornell Notebook

Beige Cornell Notes Template

Dark   Cornell Notes Template

Note-Taking & Digital Paper Templates for GoodNotes

Keep your school note-taking setup compact with GoodNotes on your iPad ! The days of carrying around heavy binders and notebooks are over – create a more efficient system to jot down valuable info learned both in and out of the classroom!

Here are some options to get you started. If you’re on the hunt for more general notebook templates, we cover that a little further below.

50 Digital Note-Taking Templates in White

Colorful Aesthetic Note-Taking Templates

Templates Available:

• Spring Colors
• Rose Wine Colors

Pastel Aesthetic Note Taking Templates Template Available Here

Kawaii Digital Notepaper Templates

Natural Paper Templates for GoodNotes

GoodNotes Budget & Finance Templates

Staying on top of your finances doesn’t need to be a chore – make it fun with one of these aesthetic budget templates. Stick to your budget and map out your financial future with the right GoodNotes personal finance template.

Digital Finance Planner for GoodNotes

Digital Budget Planner with Stickers

Digital Budget Planner for GoodNotes

GoodNotes Productivity Templates

GoodNotes is one of the best digital planner apps out there. You’ll find a ton of aesthetic GoodNotes productivity templates out there, complete with all the bells and whistles you’d expect. From one-page PDFs to robust planners, here are a few of our faves!

GoodNotes Simple Tasks & To-Do List Templates

Cross off your daily to-dos both digitally and beautifully with an aesthetic GoodNotes to-do list and tasks template! Bring your lists with you everywhere, and don’t let a lost piece of paper get in the way of a productive day.

Colorful Daily To-Do Template

Minimal Daily To-Do List

GoodNotes Habit Tracker Templates

Become the best version of yourself with a GoodNotes habit tracker template! Pre-designed to keep you in a proper routine, and make the small changes make a big difference.

Daily Habit Tracker GoodNotes Template

Monthly Habit Tracker Template

Missing the feel of a notebook, but not so much missing the weight and waste? Get an aesthetic digital notebook template – or add an aesthetic GoodNotes notebook cover to your templates to mimic the look an actual notebook for journaling and note-taking!

Neutral Notebook Covers

Don’t miss our full round-up of GoodNotes notebook covers for even more options!

Cream & Beige Colored Digital Notebook

Minimal Black Digital Notebook with Tabs

Kawaii Digital Notebook for GoodNotes

Cute Dark Mode Digital Notebook

Cute Bunny Digital Notebook

Plant Shop – Cute Digital Notebook with Tabs

Aesthetic GoodNotes Notebook Covers

• Pastel GoodNotes Cover Designs
• GoodNotes Colorful Cover Designs

Aesthetic GoodNotes Digital Stickers

Deck out your pages and make your notes aesthetic with beautifully designed digital stickers made for GoodNotes! Add these stickers to any new or existing GoodNotes pages to make them pop, and match your aesthetic perfectly.

Want more options? Check out our blog post of  the best GoodNotes digital sticker packs !

• Neutral Planner Widgets Stickers
• Colorful Sticky Notes
• Retro Digital Stickerbook
• Cute Digital Planner Sticker Pack for GoodNotes
• GoodNotes Sticky Post-It Notes
• Neutral Digital Stickers & Post-It Notes
• Gradient GoodNotes Digital Planning Stickers
• Blue GoodNotes Digital Planning Stickers

The premium templates for GoodNotes are well worth it, saving you lots of time and brainpower. However, if you’re not looking to upgrade yet, thankfully there are a few simple free templates for you to try out – check out our favorites!

Minimalist Light & Dark Mode Planner

Doing My Best – 2022-2023 Digital Planner

Daily & Weekly Planner Sheets

Minimalist GoodNotes Planner

College Study Digital Planner

Student Productivity Planner (Hyperlink & Printable Version)

Simple Colorful Daily Planner

Rainbow To-Do List Template

Simple GoodNotes Daily Planner

Classic Blue Diary Weekly Planner

Are we missing any must-have aesthetic GoodNotes templates? Let us know in the comments below!

Gridfiti is supported by its audience – when you buy something using the retail links in our posts, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.  Read more about our affiliate disclaimer.

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45+ Super Creative Empty Notebook Ideas to Fill Up Your Journal

Last Updated on December 1, 2023

Do you have a ton of half-filled or empty notebooks lying around? 🙋‍♀️I think we can all relate to buying a journal or notebook, being super into it for several pages, and then letting it sit unused. 

But why do that when there are SO many creative ways to fill up an empty notebook and make the most of it?! These empty notebook ideas have got you covered. From self care journaling, to fun lists, to keeping track of good memories, there’s so much you can do to make sure a notebook never goes empty again!

Table of Contents

The habit of hoarding empty notebooks is so real.

First of all, let me just say that hoarding empty and half-filled notebooks can be a real problem! I could probably bet money that you have at least one abandoned notebook sitting around in your house somewhere. And I can’t say you’re alone in that.

But you’re in luck, because there a ton of cute and creative empty notebook ideas out there just waiting to be explored! Say you bought a new notebook (and oh how exciting it always is!) and planned to dedicate it to something in particular, but you’ve fallen off the wagon.

Well, who’s stopping you from taking that empty notebook in a new direction?! There are no rules here. If you bought a journal with the intention of dedicating it to a manifestation journal but now you’ve grown bored with that idea and want to turn it into an art journal, go for it!

Or maybe you love making lists. Maybe you love scrapbooking. The sky is the limit, and this post features a tonnnn of empty notebook ideas for you to fill up all those extra pages.

What to do with empty notebooks?

45+ Things To Do With Empty Notebooks

Creative things to do in a journal.

Looking to get into the creative spirit?! Awesome! These empty notebook ideas will spark your creativity and get you inspired to explore the fun side of journaling for pure leisure and enjoyment!

1. Creative writing journal

Starting off these empty notebook ideas is keeping a creative writing journal! This is perfect for short stories or brainstorming for writing a book! If you enjoy fiction and have all sorts of ideas for interesting stories, you should definitely write them down.

2. Bullet journal

Bullet journaling is super creative! You can create so many different spreads for planners, lists, memories, and more. Bullet journaling is meant to be very visual, so it’s the perfect opportunity to whip out the markers, highlighters, and washi tape!

3. Vision boards

When you think of a vision board, you might think of a wall collage. But you can also turn a vision board into something to fill up empty notebook pages! You can put together a collage of smaller, polaroid size pictures that represent your dreams, goals, or happy things you love. I have a whole post on vision board ideas if you want inspiration!

4. Inspirational quotes

Inspirational quotes keep us motivated, positive, and uplifted! Keeping a collection of your favorite quotes to refer back to can be so good for your mindset. 

5. Collection journal

Do you enjoy collecting stamps, stickers, or polaroid photos? You can keep them all in one place to look back on in your journal!

6. Scrapbook

Similar to the collection journal idea, you can also turn an empty notebook into a scrapbook for keeping memories through photos. I have a “guinea pig family scrapbook” for photos of my pet guinea pigs throughout the years! So you can always dedicate a scrapbook to anything you want 😊

On Customsticker.com, you can custom cut die-cut stickers , holographic stickers, clear stickers, and other products for decorating empty notebooks and making scrapbooks look fantastic.

7. Art journal

Art journals are great to dedicate to fun doodles, sketches, or anything artsy and creative. I used to always practice hand lettering with brush pens in a journal!

8. Gardening journal

Into gardening or want to take it up as a fun hobby? Why not keep a journal about all the things you want to plant?! You can keep ideas, gardening method notes, or anything relating to gardening.

Empty Notebook Ideas for Self Care

Self care is a non-negotiable. Make sure you’re prioritizing time to nurture yourself with these empty notebook ideas for self care. Release your emotions, get to know your feelings, and track your mental health progress!

9. Mental Health Journal

Journaling for the purpose of checking in on your mental health is so important. Of all the empty notebook ideas, this is most crucial. I’m always proactive in managing my mental health and journaling is hands down the best coping strategy for myself and many others. 

If you wish you had guided mental health journal prompts conveniently bundled just for you, you’ve got to check out my printable mental health journal !

It’s jam-packed with 33 pages of writing prompts and mental activities for understanding your emotions, overcoming unhelpful behaviors, and reframing negative thoughts. Perfect for understanding things like anxiety and depression!

10. Brain dumping

Brain dumping is the practice of letting your thoughts flow right onto paper without any prompts. Brain dumping is probably the easiest way to incorporate self care into your journal because you just write what comes to mind!

11. Self care journal

A self care journal can be used to journal about your self care journey or plan out your self care activities. Check in on where you’re at mentally or plan for how you’ll get in one small self care activity each day! If you need self care activity ideas each day, check out my 30 Day Mental Wellness Challenge .

12. Spiritual journaling

Want to focus on spiritual growth? Journal about your spiritual thoughts, prayers, practices, or anything else that applies to your spirituality. 

13. Morning/evening check in

I’m a huge fan of quick 5-minute morning and evening self care check ins! These are perfect for when you don’t have a lot of time or energy to spare, but you still want to stay on top of your mental health.

You can grab my (free!) daily self care check in sheet below for this! It helps you reflect on how you feel each morning and night and how your day went.

Psst…make self care quick and easy by downloading my (free!) printable daily self care check in! Grab it to start adding a little self reflection into your morning + night routines.

You will receive your daily self care check in shortly.

14. Daily diary

For a longer daily check-in, try filling up one page each day about how things are going. Did you do anything fun? Have some thoughts on your mind? Worried about something coming up this week? Write it down in a daily diary entry!

15. Unsent letters

Unsent letters are useful for the tough feelings we may face in our interpersonal relationships. The idea is that you write out all your thoughts and feelings as if you’re addressing it to someone specific in your life, but you don’t actually send it to them.

This can help organize your thoughts for later if you plan to confront the person, or you can just keep these thoughts to yourself.

16. Gratitude Journal

Expressing gratitude may help you feel increased positivity and a general mood boost. I love using a gratitude journal to reflect on all the good in my life, and it has genuinely changed my mindset for the better!

Want gratitude journal prompts conveniently bundled just for you? My printable gratitude journal has everything you need to practice gratitude each day and develop life-changing positive habits!

Includes 12 pages to break down your gratitude practice each morning and evening, as well as weekly and monthly. Jam-packed with thought-provoking gratitude journal prompts and activities to keep you focused and on track!

17. Meditation journal

A slightly different approach to these empty notebook ideas is a meditation journal. If you meditate, you can record how each meditation goes. Did your mind wander a lot? What techniques helped you stay present and grounded? Reflecting on your ability to feel calm and at ease during meditation is great to keep track of!

18. Manifestation journal

I keep a manifestation journal myself and I love it! This is where you can practice manifesting something you’d like to achieve by envisioning it down to the specifics. This really helps me believe in myself and my goals. I have a guide on how to manifest something through writing !

19. Journaling prompts

Don’t even get me started on journal prompts because this blog is ALL about them! I’m a little biased, but this is easily my favorite of the empty notebook ideas. Here are some journaling prompts to get you started:

• 70 Easy and Fun Journal Prompts for Beginners

52 Journal Prompts for Self Love to Empower Yourself

40 Trauma Healing Journal Prompts

60 Journal Prompts for Self Care When You’re Struggling

20. Affirmations

Writing positive affirmations that resonate with you is another way to improve your mindset by swapping negative self talk for positive self talk.

I have a deck of 40 printable affirmation cards made for journaling! You can paste them into a journal for a powerful visual reminder or even use them as journal prompts to reflect on how they make you feel.

Empty Notebook Ideas When You’re Bored

Hey, maybe you’re just bored and wanna do something you’ve never done before in your journal! You’re in luck, because these empty notebook ideas are the best boredom busters.

21. Record your dreams

Recording your dreams dream-journal-style is a great empty notebook idea! Noticing patterns in recurring dreams might even give you a clue to something you’re dealing with that’s going overlooked.

22. Books to read

I’m always seeing books I want to read but I forget to keep a note of them! This is why it’s not a bad idea to keep a list of books you want to read so you’ll always head into Barnes and Noble prepared. 

23. Memory journal

Keeping track of good memories is so important! It seems like we always forget the little details after too much time has passed, so it really pays off to record memories you make while they’re fresh in your mind.

24. Life lessons

Have an amazing epiphany where you realized something important? Write it down! This is another great way to track your self growth too.

25. Travel ideas and itineraries

I never know where I’m going to travel next because there are just simply so many places I want to go! This is why it’s good to write down all the places you want to travel, along with the specific restaurants and activities in each place. 

26. Restaurants/activities/things to do in your city

I moved to central Illinois in 2020 and while I think that I’ve covered all the ground in the last 2 years of living here, I kinda haven’t! There are still so many cool local restaurants and coffee shops I’ve yet to check out, but I always seem to stick to the same 3 places. Keeping a list of where I want to try would really help me explore more!

27. Bucket lists

You’re never too old to have a bucket list. Whether it’s a summer bucket list , or just a general bucket list of all the things you want to do before you die, it’s great to have things to look forward to!

28. Recipes to try

I know some people are more adventurous than others in the kitchen, but I LOVE finding new recipes! Any time you’re craving something, write it down and find a recipe for how to make it!

29. Hobbies to try

We ALL need hobbies. If your life is all work and no play, you’ll feel burnt out in no time. It’s never too late to pick up a new hobby, so go check out my list of 100 fun and interesting hobby ideas in your 20s !

30. Funny phrases/inside jokes

Ever since middle school, I’ve always kept various notes of funny inside jokes between my friends and I! This is a fabulous way to keep memories and cheer yourself up. 

31. Food journal

If you have a particular health goal in mind, keeping a food journal is a good way to stay on track and assess your eating habits. 

32. Nature journal

Next time you go on a nature walk or explore a new area, take note of what’s around and write it down! I love paying attention to different birds, cute little animals, flowers, and plants. 

33. Astrology journal

If you’re into astrology, you can take notes of zodiac sign traits, zodiac sign compatibility, horoscopes, birth charts, or anything that interests you!

34. Gift ideas

This idea is simply GENIUS. Don’t you hate it when Christmas rolls around and you have no idea what to get your friends and family?! If you keep tabs all year long about the things they like, it makes holidays a thousand times easier.

Empty Notebook Ideas for Organization and Productivity

Time to get your life in check! If you could use a little more organization in your work or personal life, these empty notebook ideas for organization and productivity have you covered. Stay on top of good habits and plan out the best goals!

35. Goal setting

Writing down goals is important, but don’t stop there. You want to make sure you’re writing down both your goals and the habits necessary to achieve those goals. This is probably the most beneficial of these empty notebook ideas!

To do goal setting right, you need a game plan. I have a printable goal planner that will help you map out your goals AND habits in detail so you can achieve anything you set your mind to for work, school, or your personal life!

Use lists for anything under the sun! Books to read, movies to watch, your grocery list…just all the lists!

37. Habit tracking

Habit tracking is the perfect way to keep yourself accountable. My printable goal planner offers habit tracking pages for staying on track toward any goal. I’ve found that habit tracking makes it much less likely for me to fall off the wagon!

38. Budget tracking

Take charge of your finances by taking a deep look at your spending habits. There’s likely room for improvement somewhere in there, and seeing your budget laid out in front of you can really help!

This video shows you 10 different ideas for financial trackers you can create in a bullet journal!

39. Small business/side hustle journal

Have a small business or side hustle? Want to start one up? You can jot down business ideas or keep track of business stats.

40. Social media journal

Many businesses use social media in their marketing strategy, so keeping track of social media post ideas and stats is smart!

41. Event planning

Have a birthday, wedding, or big event coming up? Planning out everything you need for it on paper is useful!

42. Fitness journal

Write down fitness goals, workout ideas, or your workout schedule.

43. Study notes

If you’re a student, you probably already have dedicated notebooks for note-taking, but study notes can apply to things outside of school too. When I’m reading a nonfiction book or short course, I like to take notes on what I’m learning.

44. Master to-do list

You might already keep a daily to-do list, but having a master to-do list of all the things you need to get around to in the next couple months is so helpful. My master to-do list consists of health appointments I need to make, fun projects I want to take on, and clothes I need to buy for certain occasions. 

45. Project journal

If you’re working on a project, whether it be for work or your personal life, you can map out the individual steps and supplies you may need.

46. DIY Projects

Keeping a list of the DIY projects you want to do and the supplies needed for them is also a big help! 

How to Use an Empty Notebook Effectively

There’s a couple different routes you can go when deciding on the empty notebook ideas you want to use.

You can either go the artsy route or the productive route . Or a mix of the two!

Using an empty notebook for cute artsy things might look like:

• Creative writing
• Bullet journaling
• Scrapbooking
• Vision boards
• Dream journaling

And using an empty notebook for productive things might look like:

• Improving your self care
• Exploring your mental health
• Work or business planning
• Habit tracking
• Budget tracking

To name a few! Those are some areas to consider when thinking about what you want to achieve with an empty notebook. Do you just want to use your journal in a leisurely, artistic way? Or do you want to improve yourself in some way?

Final Thoughts on Empty Notebook Ideas

Were you feeling stumped on how to fill up those extra notebooks you have lying around? Hopefully not anymore! These empty notebook ideas are here to fuel your creativity and inspiration. There are endless possibilities for sprinkling a little more excitement into your journals.

It’s pretty common to run into the dilemma of “what do I write about?!” when sitting in front of a journal. But now you have a tonnnn of creative ideas for filling up those empty notebooks! So get to it and tell me what you decide to write in your notebook the next time creativity strikes!

Let me know in the comments:

What do you write in your notebook when you’re bored?

More empty notebook ideas:.

35 Easy and Fun Journal Prompts for Beginners

LIKE THESE EMPTY NOTEBOOK IDEAS? PIN THEM FOR LATER!

Founder & Content Strategist

Hey there! I'm Alexa, and I'm a self-care enthusiast and mental health advocate. At Ambitiously Alexa, I'm here to support women like you who are on a mission to achieve allll the things they're passionate about and make time for self care. I make this balance possible through journal prompts, positive affirmations, and self care ideas you'll love! Here's more about me, including my B.A in Psychology...

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Hello Alexa! My father left a little black book of his travels it is fading because it’s pencil. I have horrible penmanship, so I’d like to transcribe his words or another program & my ? Is how would the cut word doc & glue it to new journal. I’ve ordered small leather refillable Journals refill with Blank pages. Do you have any ideas? Thank you so very much & kindest regards

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35 creative notebook ideas to inspire you.

Written by ( author bio ):

Christine Songco

There’s nothing like that feeling you get when you purchase a brand new notebook.  You imagine yourself writing all of your great ideas in it.  Then you bring it home, place it on your desk or shelf, and it just sits there looking pretty, collecting dust.

I know, I’ve been there…I have a personal collection of barely filled notebooks in my room.  If you just can’t seem to get started with your own blank notebook, even with all of your good intentions, I’ve got you covered.  In this blog post, I’ll go over 35 creative notebook ideas so you won’t be stumped the next time you open up an empty one.

35 ways to fill your empty notebook.

1. diary or journal..

A classic diary or journal is a simple way to create a logbook of your life. Each entry is a little gem – an anecdote, a thought, an observation. As you continue to write down your thoughts, you might discover new ways to improve yourself as a person.

Maybe you’d like to write about something that happened to you – an incident that left you feeling sad or grateful, or perhaps excited about something that’s now come true.

2. Mind mapping.

A great way to get started with your empty notebook is to mind map.  A mind map is both a visual aid and a writing tool that helps you keep track of ideas and thoughts by linking a central/main idea with other related ideas.

Creating a mind map can help you remember key points.  It also helps you see connections between things and allows you to see patterns in the execution of ideas.

3. Brain dump.

The great thing about “brain dumping” is that it’s unstructured.  There’s no right or wrong way to do it because you’re writing whatever comes to your brain and onto your paper or keyboard.  You keep writing until you can’t anymore.  The point of this is to help declutter your mind or defog your brain.

4. Doodling.

When in doubt, doodle.  Notebooks are not just for writing, you know. It might seem silly to start doodling in a notebook because all it really is, is scribbling.  But it’s actually a really effective way of getting inspired.

Another great thing about doodling is the benefits.  According to a Harvard Health Publishing article , doodling:

• improves memory
• relieves stress
• improves focus

Doodling improves your ability to solve problems and create things; that’s why it’s a great way to fill your blank notebook.

5. Dream tracking.

Dream Journaling can be a transformative way to improve your spiritual relationship with yourself, the world, and the divine. Dream Journals are a great way to tap into what is deep inside and can be an effective way to develop new spiritual insights and personal growth.

They can be used as an effective tool for discovering who you are by tapping into your subconscious mind and personal desires.

6. Memories.

Everyone has memories that they never want to forget. Capture those special moments by creating a notebook or journal that you can look back on any time you want.

You can record the most memorable moments in the lives of your friends, family, and loved ones.  It’s a way to record all of those special memories from birthdays, graduations, holidays, and vacations.

7. Gratitude journal.

A gratitude journal is one of the best ways to increase happiness and joy in your life.  By writing down what you’re grateful for on a regular basis, it becomes easier to be aware of all the things you already have and appreciate them.

Research has shown that creating a gratitude journal may help improve your overall well-being.  You can start by writing down just one thing you’re grateful for each day and observe any changes in your mood or thoughts.

8. Make a notebook of lists.

Creating a list will help you remember things.  They’re great for helping you remember important dates, key events in your life, and even reminders for yourself of important deadlines.

They’re great for jotting down practical tips and tricks – such as how many paces you cover in a 10k runs.  You can create a list in your notebook for practically anything that you do on a regular basis.

9. Aha moments.

Have you ever thought to yourself, man, if only I wrote that down?  Well, notebooks are great for when you have your “aha”moments.  These are light bulb moments that come to you even when you least expect it.  The next time inspiration hits, you’ll have your notebook to fill them with.

One of the best ways to use your notebook is to write down your goals in it.  Goals help you stay focused on what you want to accomplish.  You can use your notebook to keep track of your goals and either continue forward or eliminate the ones that are not working for you.

11. Freestyle writing.

Freestyle writing is a great way to fill your notebook.  It’s unstructured in the sense that you don’t have to follow explicit rules, you just write what’s on your mind.

For this reason, freestyle writing is an excellent outlet for newbies or anyone that lacks the training or tools.  You can write whatever comes naturallly to your mind and then look back at it later for inspiration, or just the simple pleasure of reading it.

12. Quotes.

One great way to fill your blank notebook is to write down quotes.  Quotes can come from you, the internet, your family member, an author, an influencer, or just about anyone who can inspire you with their words.

Quotes are a great way to stay motivated. They remind us of what we want and they help us see the big picture.  They also help us remember that we’re not alone.

Do you write poems, or have a love for them?  You can use your empty notebook for poetry.  Poems are beautiful expressions and can be great sources of inspiration.

Poems can be rich sources of scattered thoughts and feelings, they can be strict and follow rules, or they can be just one-liners with huge impact.

13. Tracking habits.

Use your blank notebook for tracking your habits.  Habit tracking helps with anything you want to improve in your life.  When you keep track of your habits in a notebook, you’ll be able to see your progress, no matter how small it is.

14. Travel journal.

A travel journal is a great way to store your memories from the places you’ve been.  Take colorful notes on places you’ve been, things you’ve looked at, and conversations you’ve had.  When you get home, look at the words on the page and reminisce about the great time you had while traveling.

15. Research.

Remember that notebook you used to write science projects?  You can use your notebook for research ideas and projects, too.  A blank notebook can be useful for brainstorming, asking questions, or reflecting on the topic you’re researching.

16. Appointments.

Have you ever used a notebook for appointments?  It is a great way to save time and remember important information.  Keeping appointments in a notebook vs. a smartphone will help you see all of them at a glance instead of scrolling through a small screen.

17. Love letters.

When you’re in love, there is nothing like putting pen to paper and sharing your thoughts and feelings.  There’s also nothing like taking notes in a journal as you navigate the wonderful world of love.

Writing down your feelings allows you to remember them easily and enables you to express them freely.  You can share them with the one you love or you can just keep it for yourself.

18. Recipes.

How often do we get the chance to use our notebook for something other than pure observation?  A great way to use a notebook is to gather ideas for recipes like for meal planning.

It can be difficult to remember which recipes fit into your daily diet, or what needs to be done each week.  So use your notebook to keep track of what you buy and when.

19. Scrapbooking.

Scrapbooks are a great way to use your notebooks.  They keep mementos of important events in your life.  You cut and paste notes, pictures, etc., and stick them into your scrapbook.

20. Photo journal.

Do you love taking pictures but hate the idea of them sitting in your phone?  A photo journal is a great idea for someone like you.  You can use your empty notebook to fill them with your beautiful photos so you can enjoy them rather than forget that you took them in the first place.

21. Finances/money.

Keeping track of all your expenses in your head is hard.  This is where your empty notebook will come in handy.  Keeping track of your expenses will give you more control over your finances and help prevent you from breaking your budget.

22. Random thoughts.

Ever have a random thought pop into your head and then regretted not writing it down later?  Use your notebook to organize your random thoughts because you never know when you can use them later down the road.

23. Favorites.

Your empty notebook is a great place for storing all of your favorites.  Your favorite books, music, movies, artists, clothing designers, etc.  There are so many places you can access your favorites nowadays that only a notebook can keep track of all the information that is out there.

24. Tracking your health.

When you need to improve your health by changing your behaviors and habits, you can use your blank notebook to help you keep track.  You can make a list of the stuff you need to get rid of in your pantry or refrigerator.

Then track what you’re eating, what you’re drinking, and what times of the day you’re doing it. This is important to keep you accountable, a way to have something “watch over your shoulder” so you can be successful with your health and wellbeing.

25. Learning a new language.

Learning a new language can be tough.  There are so many rules that you need to adhere to that it can be confusing to keep track of all the new words.

A notebook not only helps you learn a new language and remember the words, writing them down helps to reinforce it in your brain.

26. Remembering passwords and user names.

If you’re like me, you probably have a million passwords and usernames.  It’s hard to remember them all, so I like to use a notebook to keep track of them all.

You can use your empty notebook to organize and keep track of all your user names, passwords, and any other sensitive information.  Just remember to keep it in a safe place.

27. Bullet journaling.

You can use any empty notebook to create a bullet journal.  They’re great for keeping track of just about anything.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy.  You don’t even need those boxes or lines to start one.  Any blank notebook will do.

28. Writing short stories.

If you’re a writer, then a notebook is a great way to jot down your short stories.  You can keep your ideas in your notebook or you can use it to write your short stories and transfer them later.  Or you can just keep them for yourself for your own reading enjoyment.

29. Planning.

I’m not a big planner, but I have to use one to keep my life together.  An empty notebook is a great way to organize your life because there’s only so much that you can hold and process in your head.

You can use it to keep track of important dates, holidays, appointments, events, or daily to-do lists.

30. Reminders.

Like a planner, you need place to organize all of your daily, weekly, and monthly stuff.  But, an empty notebook can be used to remind you of your daily tasks.  It gives you a quick reference for what needs to get done for the day so you’re not scrambling around looking for where you wrote your reminder.

31. Smash book.

Remember smash books as a kid?  It was like a scrapbook but with bits of information about your friends and besties.  If you’re into this kind of thing, then your blank notebook is the perfect place to start your smash book.

32. Bucket list.

I used to think bucket lists were kind of morbid but if you look at it as a to-do list for your life, then it can be an enjoyable way to use it to keep track of your life goals.

Use your notebook to write out a bucket list, at least 100 things, and cross out them out as you finish each one.  Not only does it feel satisfactory, you feel like you’re fulfilling your life’s mission and purpose.

33. Vision boards.

Vision boards are great inspirational tools and they don’t have to be actual boards.  They can be placed inside of a notebook.  Cut out any inspirational words, images, or quotes and paste them into your “vision board.”  Then look at it regularly for inspiration.  Then update it every year.  You can keep the most recent, updated one open so you can attract what you want to manifest in your life.

34. Affirmations.

Positive affirmations are words or phrases that help boost your self-confidence and self-esteem.  There’s even evidence that they can help improve your well-being and help you become more resilient.

Fill your notebook with positive affirmations and use them on regular basis to lift you up or to prepare you when you are facing something challenging.

35. Spirituality.

Your empty notebook is not just for keeping track of lists, goals, and habits.  You can use it to help lift up your spirit or keep track of the things that give you meaning or guidance.

“Always carry a notebook.  And I mean always.” – Will Self

How to get started with a blank notebook.

What happens when you’re ready to write and your head goes blank?  This phenomenon is called writer’s block and it happens even to the best of writers.

Creative writing can be intimidating and many people can relate to the feeling of being relentlessly self-critical coupled with paralyzing fear & anxiety.

Why it’s so hard to get started with writing.

One of the reasons why it can be difficult to get started with writing is fear .  I remember all those papers I had to write when I was in school and then having them graded by the teacher.

I always feared getting my paper back from the teacher with red marks all over it, highlighting all of my mistakes.  Because of this, I didn’t enjoy writing for a long time.  Not only that, it made my confidence in my writing skills plummet.

It wasn’t until I started blogging that I began to enjoy writing.

Another reason why it’s hard to get started writing is not having enough time.  Studies have shown that the perceived lack of time is a barrier to writing.  While others show that it’s not the lack of time that impedes but the attitudes, habits, and other external factors that can lead to writer’s block.

Procrastination.

For many of us, procrastination is the reason why we can’t get started with writing, which is also combined with lack of time and fear.

Tips to overcome anxiety around writing.

1. be patient..

Not every idea comes to you immediately. It can take days of planning, perseverance, and motivation to get started on an idea that will ultimately become something that you want to write about.

It isn’t accomplished by tossing ideas into a hat, hoping something sticks, or hopping from project to project in search of inspiration. The key is to be still and slow down so ideas will flow to you easier.

2. Write regularly.

One of the best things you can do for your writing is to set aside time for it. It doesn’t have to be long, and it doesn’t have to be specific to writing in your journal.  Make time for writing in a notebook or on any device that will let you jot down ideas without staring at the computer screen.

When you adopt a working schedule, your brain will become accustomed to it and your writing will become more prolific.  For example, write first thing in the morning and first thing before you go to bed each day.  This will not only help you develop consistency, but your writing will also improve.

3. Change your mindset.

Having the right mindset will help you overcome anxiety around writing.  Writing calmly and perceiving writing as a relaxing exercise can help to lessen the feeling of uncertainty and pain.  Try not to be critical of yourself or judge your writing because it will only exacerbate any unpleasant emotions that may arise from it.

4. Make it feel fun.

When you make writing fun, it increases the level of motivation you have to keep going, because your brain registers that it’s a win even if it was challenging.

One reason for this is that when you make something fun, even when it isn’t easy (like writing in a journal), it gives you a good feeling and lets you know that it will all work out.

5. Be open to criticism.

You need to be open to criticism from others if you want to turn writing into a comfortable and enjoyable activity.  One way to improve your writing is to welcome feedback from others.

Learning to receive the viewpoints of others on your writing is really beneficial.  You’ll be able to change your approach to writing as well as identify problems, improve your ideas, and improve your writing overall.

6. Work efficiently.

There is a benefit to being able to write and work efficiently. Just as you need enough sleep to get a good night’s rest, you also need the right kind of environment to make writing a pleasurable and fruitful experience.

When writing, find a quiet spot if possible to minimize distractions.  Writing is a creative activity that requires concentration and energy, so take small bites at times and give yourself regular breaks to refocus and refresh.

7. Write for short periods.

There are benefits to writing in shorter stretches of time.  It’s easier to sustain a flow for shorter than longer periods of time.  Staying motivated is also easier when you don’t feel constrained by time.

By writing in short bursts throughout the day, you’ll stay more motivated and focused, and it’ll be easier to get your thoughts out.  Breaking up your writing sessions will help maintain motivation and promote productivity

Aim for a goal you can achieve, such as writing for twenty or even just ten minutes a day.  You avoid becoming frustrated and losing your motivation.

8. Write with a group.

Working with a group of writers offers many useful advantages, including an increased sense of belonging and collaboration. When you work in a small group, you will form an environment that is conducive to writing through sharing of knowledge and expertise.

What’s more, writing in a group provides accountability, something you can’t get when you write all by yourself.

9. Just start writing.

Sometimes, all the writing tricks and tips in the world can’t get you motivated enough to write.  You need to just start writing if you want it to be comfortable and enjoyable.

Writing can be a messy, accidental process; there will be times when you run out of ideas and times when you don’t feel like you’re in the right mental space.

There’s no shortcut for this. Don’t worry about details initially, just get your thoughts out there.  Write whatever comes to mind until you can’t do it anymore.  Then take a break or continue the next time you’re scheduled to write to clear your mind and allow new and fresh ideas to percolate.

Conclusion.

What our notebooks can do for us is store our ideas, dreams, and anything else we come up with.  They hold information about everything from the days that we’ve completed to the things that we want to do in the future. And they’re more than just our keepers of ideas; they’re also places for us to get inspired.

I hope you found these empty notebook ideas inspiring.  What are some creative ways you use your notebook?  Let me know in the comments!

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12+ OneNote Templates for Productivity

Microsoft OneNote is a terrific note-taking tool, but you can do so much more with it. Whether you want to use it for managing a project, planning your workday, or keeping up with tasks, check out these OneNote templates for a quick start.

Quick check: did you optimize your desk for productivity , yet?

1. Project Overview

2. meeting notes, 3. to-do list, 4. daily work schedule, 5. weekly planner, 6. quarterly planner, 7. four quadrants of time management, 8. work notebook, 9. shared notebook for group project, 10. diary / journal, 11. cornell notes, 12. monthly calendars, onenote templates on etsy, frequently asked questions, built-in onenote page templates.

One of the best places to start with OneNote templates is the application. You can use the built-in project overview template and choose from a variety of meeting notes and to-do list page templates.

Open your notebook and go to the Insert tab. Select Page Templates in the “Pages” section of the ribbon. You may see a few listed but can also choose Page Templates at the bottom to view them all using the Template sidebar.

In the sidebar, you’ll see the templates grouped by category. Expand the Business category and choose the Project Overview template to add it as a page in your notebook.

Take advantage of the fields in the template for project, company, and presenter name. Add a description, project goals, resources, procedures, a schedule of milestones, current status, and related documents.

Also in the Business section of the sidebar, you’ll see several meeting notes template options. From simple to detailed to formal, each template offers something a little different. Select Detailed Meeting Notes .

Start with the meeting details, including the date, time, location, and agenda. Then, add the attendees, announcements, status of old items, a summary, and information for the next meeting.

Expand the Planners section in the sidebar to see a few different to-do list templates. The “Simple To-Do List” template gives you checkboxes with spots for your items, while “Project To Do List” offers a section for each project.

“Prioritized To Do List” uses three columns to divide your tasks by importance. Add items to the High, Medium, and Low Priority columns as you see fit.

Good to know : you can also find a selection of productivity templates for Notion !

For a neat schedule that helps you plan your day, look at this Daily Work Schedule from OneNote Gem .

Add the date at the top, then enter each task, meeting, appointment, and break. You can enter items in 30-minute increments but easily carry items over for long periods.

For the following day, either change the date and adjust the schedule or copy the page to start a new day from scratch. To make a copy, right-click the page name and select Move or Copy .

In the pop-up box, choose a notebook, then click Copy .

Struggling to manage tasks? Try the RICE prioritization method to decide what to do first.

If a daily work schedule isn’t your thing but planning your week is, then this Weekly Planner from Calendar Labs is for you.

Enter the week’s start date at the top, then plan your week with a section for each day. Use the lines within the sections to add appointments and to-dos for your business or personal items.

Like the Daily Work Schedule above, you can make a copy of the template for the upcoming weeks.

Quarterly Planner from Calendar Labs is perfect for planning your year in three-month increments. It comes complete with U.S. holidays in the Notes section, with matching red dates on the calendars for each corresponding month.

To switch to the next quarter, just select the page on the right or left, depending on your notebook layout.

The Four Quadrants of Time Management template from OneNote Gem is great if you practice the Eisenhower method of task management. It allows you to easily prioritize everything on your plate.

You’ll see helpful prompts for the types of tasks you should add to each quadrant. For example, the Crisis (urgent and important) quadrant should include items like pressing problems, reworking, and rush deadlines.

For more on this technique, take a look at our article on how to use the Eisenhower matrix to manage your tasks .

For a different type of template, take a look at this Work Notebook from OneNote Gem . This is a preassembled notebook with pages for meeting notes, planning, travel, projects, and research.

When you visit each page, you’ll see helpful examples of what to include, as well as useful tips and keyboard shortcuts for OneNote .

Rather than create a notebook and add all of its pages from scratch, you can get a jump start with this Work Notebook template.

Similar to the Work Notebook template, look at this Shared Notebook for Group Project template from OneNote Gem . You’ll find several sections for you and your team to keep up with your next project.

You can enter goals and a schedule, drafts, research items, tasks and issues, team information, and meeting notes – all in one handy notebook.

Share your notebook as you would anything else in OneNote. Select Share at the top, then Share Entire Notebook . Upload it to OneDrive if you haven’t already, and share the link with your team members.

Remember, you can choose from Edit or View permissions or adjust those sharing settings later.

For jotting down your thoughts, activities, and memorable events, you can use this Diary / Journal notebook template from Auscomp . The notebook offers sections for both Monthly and Daily entries.

In the Monthly section, you’ll see spots for your entries to the right of the dates. To move to another month, simply choose the page. You can use the helpful instructions at the top to add a new day and remove or modify entries.

In the Daily section, choose the month and date in the pages area on the left or right, then just add your diary notes. Similar to the Monthly section, you’ll see instructions to add a new day, month, and year, which is a good way to keep your diary updated.

For a diary notebook that you can quickly jump to while working in other areas of OneNote, this template is just right.

If you use the Cornell Note Taking System , then you’ll like the Cornell Notes template from OneNote Gem . This nicely color-coded template offers red, yellow, and blue for your Cues, Notes, and Summary.

The Cues and Summary each have a few bullet points to get you started. The “Notes” area has “Record,” “Predigest,” “Recite,” “Thinking,” and “Review” ready for you to add your items.

Remember, you can make a copy of the page to use for other days or note-taking sessions. Right-click the page, choose Move or Copy , pick a notebook, and click Copy .

Notegram offers a few useful templates, including a quick way to add monthly calendars for the whole year to your OneNote notebook.

Rather than manually downloading a template, log into Notegram using your OneNote account, click Save on the template you’d like to use, and it will automatically show up in your default OneNote notebook , typically under Quick Notes .

If you’re downloading the monthly calendar, select the month and year before saving a copy. You can make the weeks start on Mondays by unchecking Sunday first . The calendar template itself is basic, which makes it a great printable or an empty canvas for your annual event or vacation planning.

While all of the options on this list are free as of this writing, there are some wonderful paid OneNote templates on Etsy . The templates vary in price, starting around $2.

Visit Etsy and type “OneNote template” into the search or check out some of these affordable options.

• OneNote Digital Planner : daily, weekly, and monthly interlinked planners with both Sunday and Monday versions
• OneNote Project Management Planner : scope of work, schedule, budget, organization chart, and project trackers
• OneNote Project Management Template : project proposal, risk management, issue tracker, schedules, and contacts
• OneNote Planner for Professionals : calendars, tasks, vision board, to-do list, journal, and trackers for tasks, habits, and ideas

Couldn’t find the right template? You can find more OneNote templates on these sites.

Is Microsoft discontinuing OneNote?

OneNote for Windows 10 will continue to receive support until October 2025. After that, you’ll need to use the OneNote application. It comes with Microsoft 365 but can also be downloaded from the Microsoft Store.

To see which version you have, look for the “File” menu. If you see this menu, you are using the OneNote application. If you do not see this menu and see “OneNote for Windows 10” in the title bar, that’s the version you’re using.

Can I save a page I create as a template in OneNote?

Absolutely! If you create a page that you want to use as a template, go to the “Insert” tab and select “Page Templates -> Page Templates.” When the Templates sidebar opens, click “Save current page as a template” at the bottom and give it a name.

Can I automatically open a template with a new page?

You can set a default template to open each time you add a page to a section in your notebook. Go to the “Insert” tab and select “Page Templates -> Page Templates.” In the sidebar, use the drop-down box near the bottom to pick a default template.

Image credit: Pixabay . All screenshots by Sandy Writtenhouse.

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With her BS in Information Technology, Sandy worked for many years in the IT industry as a Project Manager, Department Manager, and PMO Lead. She wanted to help others learn how technology can enrich business and personal lives and has shared her suggestions and how-tos across thousands of articles.

Use Notes on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

With Notes, you can capture a quick thought, create checklists, sketch ideas, and more. And with iCloud, you can keep your notes updated across all your devices.

Get started

Make sure that your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch has the latest version of iOS or iPadOS .

To use the latest features of Notes, make sure that you set up Notes with iCloud or have notes saved on your device. Many Notes features won't work with other email providers.

Create a new note

Open Notes.

The first line of the note becomes its title. To change the formatting style of the first line, go to Settings > Notes > New Notes Start With, then select an option.

You can also quickly access Notes from Control Center. Go to Settings > Control Center, and add Notes. Then open Control Center and tap Notes to create a note. Or, just ask Siri to "Start a new note."

Do more with Notes

With Notes, you can pin your top notes, draw, create checklists, scan and sign documents, and add attachments — like photos, videos, or web links.

Format a note

Undo changes to a note

Add an attachment

Add a photo or video

Link to a note

In iOS 17 and later, you can link to other notes within a note:

In a note, touch and hold blank space. Let go to bring up the options menu.

Enter the title of the note that you want to link to and select it from the list.

Turn Use Note Title as Name on or off. Enter different link text if needed.

You can also type ">>" in the body of your note, enter the title of the note that you want to link to, and select it from the list.

Create folders

Choose where to add the folder. To create a subfolder, drag the folder that you want to be a subfolder to the main folder. It will move below the main folder and be indented.

Name your folder, then tap Save.

Move a note to a different folder

Tap the notes that you want to move.

Tap Move, then select the folder you want to move them to.

See your notes in Gallery view

To sort your notes inside of folders:

Go to the folder that you want to sort.

Choose how you want to sort your notes.

To sort all of your notes automatically, go to Settings > Notes, and tap Sort Notes By. Then choose how you want to sort your notes.

Search for a note or attachment

To search for a specific note, just tap the Search field, then enter what you’re looking for. You can search for typed and handwritten notes. Search can recognize what's in the images inside of your notes. For example, if you search for "bike," search will show you all images that you have with a bike. Search can also find specific text inside scanned documents or images, like receipts or bills.

Create an instant note from the Lock Screen

You can use an Apple Pencil with a compatible iPad to create an instant note from the Lock Screen or pick up where you left off on your last note. To change these settings, go to Settings > Notes, tap Access Notes from the Lock Screen, and choose an option.

Tap the Lock Screen with your Apple Pencil and create your note. Whatever you create is automatically saved in Notes.

Keep your notes secure

The Notes app lets you lock any note that you want to keep private from anyone else that might use your device. Depending on your device, you can use your device's passcode or your Mac login password, along with Face ID or Touch ID, to lock and unlock your notes.

Use password protection with your notes

Delete a note

Swipe left over the note in the Notes list.

Learn what to do if you're missing notes

Recover a deleted note

In the Notes app, go to the Folders list.

Tap Recently Deleted.

Tap the note that you want to keep.

Tap anywhere in the note, then tap Recover.

Set up Notes with iCloud

You can use iCloud to update your notes across all of your devices. To set up Notes with iCloud, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud, then turn on Notes. You’ll see your notes on all of your Apple devices that you’re signed in to with the same Apple ID.

Learn more about Notes

Learn how to draw with Notes on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Share your notes with friends and family , and invite others to collaborate on select notes.

Use Tags and Smart Folders to organize your notes and easily filter your tagged notes across your folders.

Use iCloud Notes from a web browser

To use Notes on iCloud.com, go to icloud.com and sign in using your Apple ID (the one you use with iCloud). Click on the Notes app.

If you’re using another iCloud app, you can switch to Notes by clicking the app’s name at the top of the icloud.com window.

When working with Notes on iCloud.com, make sure that you use a browser recommended in System requirements for iCloud .

If you only see Pages, Numbers, Keynote, and Settings on iCloud.com, you don’t have an iCloud Notes account set up. To save your notes to iCloud, which lets you sync notes between your different devices and lets you access your notes on the Web, go to the iCloud Settings > Accounts on your device and turn Notes syncing on.

If you try to use Notes on iCloud.com, but get a message that says an iCloud email address is needed, your iCloud isn’t set up with a free @icloud.com email account. iCloud uses this email account to store notes for the original Notes app on iCloud.com and your devices. If you don’t have an @icloud.com email address, you can create one by turning on Notes in iCloud preferences on your Mac or in Settings on your iOS device.

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Tesla Strike Has US Unions Taking Notes for Their Own Musk Fight

By Anders Melin and Jonas Ekblom

It was still dark in Malmö, a coastal city in southern Sweden, when the union men arrived early one winter morning. They filed into a trailer parked on the roadside, donned yellow vests and stepped back out into the cold. A short distance away, a few people hurried across the icy street, wearing parkas imprinted with a familiar name: TESLA. The groups exchanged awkward glances, like neighbors passing in a stairwell. Then the second set shuffled into a low-slung auto repair shop, while the unionists huddled together and sipped coffee as the sun rose. Another day in the first-ever strike ...

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The big idea: what would culture look like without nightlife?

Live music venues, clubs and bars feed creativity and drive social change. But they’re increasingly in danger

A few weeks ago, I decided to walk from London Bridge, up through Soho, to Marylebone, to catch a train home to the West Midlands. It was late-ish on a Friday afternoon, early spring was in the air, and I had time to kill. I was expecting the familiar mass of people finishing work, spilling out of pubs, standing around on corners, but the city streets were dead. It felt more like an early Sunday morning than the start of a weekend in what still claims to be a 24-hour city.

I am not suggesting that a walk through central London is representative of the UK, or that it is even representative of London as a whole. I could write about how I went back a couple of weeks later and a pub just outside the centre was rammed, and getting busier, at midnight on a Wednesday. Or how in Sheffield recently on a cold, wet and dreary Saturday evening, it was almost impossible to find a place to sit in any of the packed-out and steamed-up pubs. Yet there is no denying that nightlife is in trouble. Last year, 125 grassroots music venues closed permanently and 1,293 pubs shut their doors across Britain. According to the Night Time Industries Association, more than 3,000 pubs, clubs and venues have closed down in London alone since the pandemic began in March 2020.

With numbers like that, it’s worth asking: if we lose nightlife, what do we lose? Outside bigger cities, you don’t always need to use your imagination. In the town where I grew up, there was a nightclub and a late-night bar. Both have stood empty and boarded up for years. In the town where I live now, the only place open late at the weekend is a strip club.

The precise reasons for all this have been debated, but there are some pretty obvious leads. Who can afford to go out during a cost of living crisis? What venue can guarantee they’ll be able to carry on paying skyrocketing bills? Young people report anxiety on an unprecedented scale; students can barely afford to pay their rent and eat; reports of generational sobriety are not difficult to understand. We formed homely habits in the pandemic, willingly stepping into an apparently limitless digital world. On that Friday afternoon in London, the city was eerie, a few tourist groups away from 28 Days Later. It wasn’t the quietness that was unsettling, but the lack of cheer, of revelry, of fun. A chilling intimation of what the world would look like if we all suddenly stopped going out.

To answer the question of what we’re losing, think about what nightlife has given us. It was always a haven for outsiders trying to find, establish or shape their own communities. It brings people together and remains an insistently communal experience in an increasingly individualistic and closed-off late capitalist society. Gigs and clubs require us to be together – as friends, but also with those we don’t know. Luis Manuel Garcia-Mispireta, an academic who researches dance-music scenes, calls this “ stranger-intimacy ”.

Nights out are not always utopian, of course. Hedonism can lead to trouble of the negative kind, but it can also lead to trouble that changes the world. After dark, revelations and revolutions happen. Marginalised communities have found freedom in nightlife, and gone on to push that freedom into the daylight. People who were at the Stonewall riots say that their protest emerged from an insistence on the right to dance freely.

The recent BBC documentary Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution told the story of that genre and its origins in the gay clubs and loft parties of early 1970s New York. It linked people’s desire to dance, together, to the progress of the gay liberation movement. The city’s archaic Cabaret Law, passed in 1926 and not repealed until 2017, banned dancing without a licence. Over nearly a century, it was used to target and repress underground spaces. In the 1940s, that meant interracial jazz clubs; in the 60s and 70s, gay bars; in the 90s and beyond, various music venues.

In due course, the influence of disco’s flashiest clubs made its way to the UK. In Life After Dark, former Haçienda DJ Dave Haslam explores the scenes and nights that were inspired by Studio 54, such as Birmingham’s Rum Runner and London’s Blitz, which brought art and high fashion into the pop mainstream. Depressingly, his book ends by telling us how these historic venues are now closed, turned into Travelodges or private members’ clubs. Haslam likens a good night out to a secret garden. “The clock strikes 13 and through a door a different world appears,” he writes. “That’s the glory of a club or a venue.”

To lose that glory would be to retreat into a colder world. The damage is economic – in 2023, nightlife contributed £93.7bn to the UK economy – but it is social and cultural, too. It’s in all our interests to stem the losses and reverse the tide. DJ Gilles Peterson recently suggested a two-fold approach to saving venues from closure, combining community ownership with bigger artists playing the smaller clubs that nurtured them. The Music Venue Trust is lobbying for a levy on tickets for giant, costly arena shows.

There is, of course, a simpler way to help out, too. When the lure of Netflix feels particularly strong, consider the alternatives. If you can find some loose change down the back of the sofa, think about going out, for a pint or a lemonade, and supporting your local nightlife in all its messy, beautiful, unknown potential.

Further reading

Life After Dark : A History of British Nightclubs and Music Venues by Dave Haslam (Simon & Schuster, £9.99)

Together, Somehow: Music, Affect, and Intimacy on the Dancefloor by Luis Manuel Garcia-Mispireta (Duke University Press, £24.99)

Gay Bar : Why We Went Out by Jeremy Atherton Lin (Granta, £10.99)

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The Circus Trump Wanted Outside His Trial Hasn’t Arrived

With support from demonstrators in Lower Manhattan spotty so far, Donald Trump issued a call to “rally behind MAGA,” and suggested the poor turnout was a result of a plot against his supporters.

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By Jonathan Swan ,  Maggie Haberman and Nate Schweber

Donald J. Trump was evidently not happy with what he saw out the window of his chauffeured S.U.V. as he rode through Lower Manhattan on Monday morning for the beginning of opening arguments in his first criminal trial.

The scene that confronted him as he approached the dingy courthouse at 100 Centre Street was underwhelming. Across the street, at Collect Pond Park, the designated site for protesters during the trial, only a handful of Trump supporters had gathered, and the number would not grow much throughout the morning.

Mr. Trump has portrayed his legal jeopardy as a threat to America itself, and he has suggested that the country would not put up with it. But the streets around the courthouse on Monday were chaos-free — well-patrolled and relatively quiet. As his motorcade made its way to the courthouse, the few Trump supporters gathered in the park were outnumbered by Trump detractors, who waved signs about his alleged liaison with a porn star.

Mr. Trump had tried to gin up something noisier. Shortly after 7 a.m., he posted on his social media website that “America Loving Protesters should be allowed to protest at the front steps of Courthouses” and he followed this lament with a call for his supporters to “GO OUT AND PEACEFULLY PROTEST. RALLY BEHIND MAGA. SAVE OUR COUNTRY!”

The narrow criminal courthouse steps in Lower Manhattan are not routinely open for protest — and particularly not when a former president of the United States is inside, guarded by a phalanx of Secret Service agents who have worked with local officials on security measures.

Asked to comment on Mr. Trump’s frustrations about the lack of protest activity, a spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, tried to connect it to the district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, and President Biden and insisted people were being prevented from being in Lower Manhattan because of the barricades.

Later in the morning, Mr. Trump sought to cast the poor turnout as more evidence of a plot against him. In a post at 8:50 a.m., he implied that would-be MAGA protesters were being discriminated against for political reasons.

“Unlike at Columbia University where the Radical Left Palestinian Protesters sat on the Front Lawn, practically took over the School, and screamed, ‘Death to the Jews, Death to Israel, Death to America,’ and nothing happened to them, Lower Manhattan surrounding the Courthouse, where I am heading now, is completely CLOSED DOWN,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social. “SO UNFAIR!!!”

The area was not, in fact, completely closed down. The courthouse has remained open to the public, including spectators who want to attend the trial, pool cameras in the hallway — and even the sidewalk in front of the courthouse has remained open to pedestrian traffic. Twenty minutes later, Mr. Trump compared the courthouse to “an armed camp.”

Mr. Trump had made no secret of the fact that he wanted a circus to accompany his trial. He had told advisers he wanted as much media as possible to cover his daily jeremiads against the prosecutors and judge who — he claims without evidence — are conspiring against him at the direction of Mr. Biden himself. Mr. Trump publicly encouraged protests and several allies, including the New York Young Republican Club, tried to round up a crowd.

The demonstrations have so far been spotty at best.

One typical tableau: Andrew Giuliani, a regular, strutting presence on the periphery of the courthouse, posed for photos on Monday inside Collect Pond Park. Grinning and wearing a Trump campaign jacket, he hugged supporters of Mr. Trump. From one, Mr. Giuliani borrowed a flag with Mr. Trump’s face on it that promotes him for president in 2024.

Mr. Giuliani, the son of Mr. Trump’s indicted former lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, who is struggling with his own legal costs incurred for representing the former president, was taunted by anti-Trump protesters.

“Two-thousand twenty-four years in prison!” one anti-Trump protester, Ricky Caballero, shouted. “He owes your dad money, why you out here supporting him?”

Mr. Caballero, 56, from Brooklyn, wore a tank top with a Puerto Rican flag. He said he remembers watching Mr. Trump lob paper towels at survivors of Hurricane Maria in 2017.

“I’m still pissed,” Mr. Caballero said.

Mr. Caballero’s remark to Mr. Giuliani was one of a number of loud exchanges between supporters and detractors of Mr. Trump that were noticeably monitored by police. On Friday, there were no police in the park. On Monday, there were six community affairs officers and six regular uniformed officers watching closely for any signs of trouble. Mr. Giuliani circulated like a celebrity among Mr. Trump’s few supporters and ignored Mr. Caballero.

Over the last week, demonstrators visibly identifying as supporting Mr. Trump — with red hats or clothing, or banners and flags — have never totaled more than a dozen. On most days, the total number of people in the portion of the park designated for protesters for or against Mr. Trump has never been more than two or three dozen. They have included tourists, locals coming to gawk, more than a few supporters of Mr. Biden, and proponents of conspiracy theories — including Max Azzarello , the man who, struggling with mental health issues, self-immolated on Friday.

One of the women who showed up to support Mr. Trump in the last week, Alice Lu, 60, said the lack of company made her sad, but not surprised.

“We feel sorry for America, why are so many people such cowards?” she said. “I know a majority of people support him but they’re scared.”

The small park was closed off after Mr. Azzarello set himself on fire, but it was reopened on Monday morning, a New York Police Department official confirmed.

One of Mr. Trump’s most dedicated supporters, the right-wing activist Laura Loomer, flew to New York from Florida and protested outside the courthouse every day last week. She had to return to Florida this week to take care of her two dogs, she said in an interview.

Ms. Loomer, who has traveled with Mr. Trump on his private plane and met with him at his private clubs, said that some Trump supporters had been talking a big game but had been “lazy,” made excuses and failed to show up for the former president.

“They say Laura Loomer is obsessed with President Trump,” she said on Monday. “Well, everybody should be obsessed with making America great again and obsessed with taking their country back. And sometimes you have to put your personal life on hold and go out and organize for President Trump.

“That’s what I do,” she added. “You think I have a social life? You think I have a dating life? You think I’m married? You think I have kids? Do you think I go out and do fun things? No. Because I’m always putting every extra bit of time that I have into supporting President Trump.”

Ms. Loomer said that most elected Republicans “are worth nothing” and take advantage of Mr. Trump for their online fund-raising. “Since Mike Johnson sent all of our money to Ukraine,” she said, “I volunteer to buy him an Amtrak ticket so that he can go to New York City and support President Trump outside of the courthouse.”

By lunchtime, Mr. Trump was still at it on social media. He suggested New York should send its police officers to protect Jewish students at Columbia University and be more lenient outside the courthouse.

“Republicans want the right to protest in front of the Courthouse, like everyone else!” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social.

Jonathan Swan is a political reporter covering the 2024 presidential election and Donald Trump’s campaign. More about Jonathan Swan

Maggie Haberman is a senior political correspondent reporting on the 2024 presidential campaign, down ballot races across the country and the investigations into former President Donald J. Trump. More about Maggie Haberman

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

At Donald Trump's hush-money trial, the former president demands praise and concedes no faults, robbing his lawyers of time-honored defense tactics .

Trump has spent decades spewing thousands and thousands of words, sometimes contradicting himself. That tendency is now working against him in this case .

The testimony of David Pecker , the first witness called in the trial and the former publisher of The National Enquirer, offered a window into the golden era of tabloids .

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Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Could he go to prison ? And will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know , and what we don’t know .

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Trump Deflates

It wasn’t just Putin who lost in the House vote on Ukraine aid.

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Produced by ElevenLabs and News Over Audio (NOA) using AI narration.

Ukraine won. Trump lost.

The House vote to aid Ukraine renews hope that Ukraine can still win its war. It also showed how and why Donald Trump should lose the 2024 election.

For nine years, Trump has dominated the Republican Party. Senators might have loathed him, governors might have despised him, donors might have ridiculed him, college-educated Republican voters might have turned against him—but LOL, nothing mattered. Enough of the Republican base supported him. Everybody else either fell in line, retired from politics, or quit the party.

Trump did not win every fight. In 2019 and 2020, Senate Republicans rejected two of his more hair-raising Federal Reserve nominations, Stephen Moore and Judy Shelton.

But Trump won almost every fight that mattered. Even after January 6, 2021, Senate Republicans protected him from conviction at his impeachment trial. After Trump left office, party leaders still indulged his fantasy that he had “really” won the 2020 election. Attempts to substitute Ron DeSantis or Nikki Haley as the 2024 nominee sputtered and failed.

David Frum: The ego has crash-landed

On aid to Ukraine, Trump got his way for 16 months. When Democrats held the majority in the House of Representatives in 2022, they approved four separate aid requests for Ukraine, totaling $74 billion. As soon as Trump’s party took control of the House, in January 2023, the aid stopped. Every Republican officeholder understood: Those who wished to show loyalty to Trump must side against Ukraine.

At the beginning of this year, Trump was able even to blow up the toughest immigration bill seen in decades—simply to deny President Joe Biden a bipartisan win. Individual Senate Republicans might grumble, but with Trump opposed, the border-security deal disintegrated.

Three months later, Trump’s party in Congress has rebelled against him—and not on a personal payoff to some oddball Trump loyalist, but on one of Trump’s most cherished issues, his siding with Russia against Ukraine.

The anti-Trump, pro-Ukraine rebellion started in the Senate. Twenty-two Republicans joined Democrats to approve aid to Ukraine in February. Dissident House Republicans then threatened to force a vote if the Republican speaker would not schedule one. Speaker Mike Johnson declared himself in favor of Ukraine aid. This weekend, House Republicans split between pro-Ukraine and anti-Ukraine factions. On Friday, the House voted 316–94 in favor of the rule on the aid vote. On Saturday, the aid-to-Ukraine measure passed the House 311–112. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate will adopt the House-approved aid measures unamended and speed them to President Biden for signature.

As defeat loomed for his anti-Ukraine allies, Trump shifted his message a little. On April 18, he posted on Truth Social claiming that he, too, favored helping Ukraine. “As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us!” But that was after-the-fact face-saving, jumping to the winning side as his side was about to lose.

Trump is still cruising to renomination, collecting endorsements even from Republican elected officials who strongly dislike him. But the cracks in unity are visible.

Some are symbolic. Even after Haley withdrew from the Republican presidential contest on March 6, some 13 to 19 percent of Republicans still showed up to cast protest votes for her in contests in Georgia and Washington State on March 12; Arizona, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio on March 19; and New York and Connecticut on April 2.

Other cracks are more substantial—and ominous for Trump. Trump’s fundraising has badly lagged Biden’s, perhaps in part because of Trump’s habit of diverting donations to his own legal defense and other personal uses. In March, Biden had more than twice as much cash on hand as Trump did. Republican Senate candidates in the most competitive races and House candidates also lag behind their Democratic counterparts. CNBC reports that the Republican National Committee is facing “small-dollar donor fatigue” and “major donor hesitation.”

How much of this is traceable to Trump personally? The Ukraine vote gives the most significant clue. Here is the issue on which traditional Republican belief in U.S. global leadership clashes most directly with Trump’s peculiar and sinister enthusiasm for Vladimir Putin’s Russia. And on this issue, the traditional Republicans have now won and Trump’s peculiar enthusiasm got beat.

David Frum: Justice is coming for Donald Trump

To make an avalanche takes more than one tumbling rock. Still, the pro-Ukraine, anti-Trump vote in the House is a very, very big rock. On something that mattered intensely to him—that had become a badge of pro-Trump identity—Trump’s own party worked with Democrats in the House and Senate to hand him a stinging defeat. This example could become contagious.

Republicans lost the House in 2018 because they were beaten in districts once held by George H. W. Bush, Newt Gingrich, and Eric Cantor. They lost the presidency in 2020 in great part because their vote eroded among suburban white men. They lost the Senate in 2021 because Trump fatigue cost them two seats in Georgia. They lost Senate seats and governorships in 2022 because they put forward Trump-branded candidates such as Blake Masters and Kari Lake in Arizona and Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania.

Republicans alienated too many of their own—and paid the political price. They alienated their own because of Trump’s hostility to Ukraine, and that price was paid in blood and suffering by Ukraine’s soldiers and civilians.

The issues that were supposed to keep the Trump show on the road have proved squibs and fizzles. Inflation is down. Crime is down. Republicans threw away the immigration issue by blowing up—at Trump’s order—the best immigration deal they’ve ever seen. The attempt to confect Biden scandals to equal Trump’s scandals turned into an embarrassing fiasco that relied on information from a suspected Russian spy indicted for lying to the FBI. And Trump himself now faces trial in New York State on one set of felony charges . He faces a federal trial, probably starting this fall, on the even graver criminal indictments arising from his attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

Each of these warnings and troubles has deflated Trump. He has deflated to the point where he could no longer thwart Ukraine aid in Congress. Ukraine won; Trump lost. That may be a repeating pattern in the year ahead.