When they did allow laptop and written note-takers to review their notes, the handwritten notes performed better in both factual and conceptual testing. Mueller and Oppenheimer found an advantage to handwritten notes with regards to conceptual testing, but no difference with regards to factual testing.Īdditionally, they only tested the process function of note-taking (meaning taking the notes) but not the product function (meaning reviewing the notes). As always, the actual science is far more nuanced than black-and-white summaries would have you believe. In short, less of it actually sticks.īased on the Mueller and Oppenheimer paper, you may jump to the conclusion that taking notes by hand is superior to on the computer. If you type on a computer, you cannot easily draw, or you may be prone to distractions like social media or instant messaging.Īdditionally, Mueller and Oppenheimer in 2014 demonstrated that typing notes on a laptop is more likely to result in transcribing lectures verbatim rather than deeper information processing and reframing into one’s own words. If you write on a notepad, you lose much of the convenience of storing files digitally or having them searchable or being able to quickly insert images. With that in mind, how should we decide what type of device to use when taking notes? The product function refers to the ability to review the notes in the future and commit facts to memory through rehearsal, organization, or elaboration. The process function refers to the fact that the act of taking notes while listening to a lecture improves your comprehension and retention, regardless of whether you review those notes. You can think of note-taking as two discrete steps: process function and product function. Rather, notes are a tool used to facilitate comprehension, memorization, and more effective future studying. You should not be taking notes to copy the professor or textbook verbatim. Let’s get started.įirst, what is the purpose of taking notes? This may seem obvious, but it’s this foundational question that trips many students up. To consistently take useful notes, you’ll need to be adaptable with your approach, adjusting it based on several variables, such as the content you’re learning, the lecturer who’s teaching you, and a few other factors. Unlike many other components to studying, like memorization techniques, note-taking doesn’t naturally fall into a straightforward and streamlined process. It’s part of the reason I’ve pushed off writing a post about note-taking for so long. Taking good notes, whether from class or from your textbook, is nuanced and messy. We’ve gone over how to create good Anki flashcards, which is rarely done properly, even by popular study experts, but even more foundational is how to take good notes. I’ve continually spoken at great length about how spaced repetition with active recall is a foundational component to achieving stellar results in school. Premed & Medical Student Annual Scholarship.2020 Medical School Application Updates.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |