Secret # 8 Organized Notes Make Studying a Breeze

More often than not, the most important study tool we have is our notes. Whether your typing or writing, you will probably have to go back and look at them at some point during the semester. For this reason, it is important to keep them as organized as you possibly can. A little time organizing in the beginning, can save you countless hours of sifting through endless piles of crumpled up papers later. In order to help you organize your notes, I have provided a short list of tips and tricks. I prefer to hand-write the majority of my notes so these tips will be focused primarily on handwritten notes; however, since I can type faster than I write, I definitely see the advantages of typing your notes and as a result, have added a few extra tips regarding typed notes. Hopefully, after applying some of these strategies you will end up with organized notes that can be easily referenced.

• Separate and conquer No matter if you are typing or writing, you should always separate your notes by class. If you are handwriting, there are a few ways to do this. I personally use single subject notebooks, but below I have attached a chart that will break down the pros and cons of popular tactics.

  	Pros	Cons
  Single Subject Notebooks	·         Cheap ·         If you fill it up with notes, you can just start a new one	·         Too many notebooks to carry ·         Easy to grab the wrong one ·         Hard to scan
  Loose Leaf Paper in a Binder	·         Easy to take out and organize ·         Easy to scan	·         Messy ·         Easy to lose notes ·         Bulky
  Multiple Subject Notebooks	·         Everything is in one place, but separated ·         Less to carry ·         Can’t grab the wrong one	·         If you fill up one section you still have to carry it around for your other classes ·         Can be more expensive

• Practice file management If you are typing your notes make a file for each semester (i.e. Fall 2014, Spring 2014, etc...) inside each semester's file you should create another file, one for each class. (this may not be necessary for labs) Unfortunately, it's not enough to create the files. When you are in the middle of the semester and feeling lazy, you still have to make sure you take the time to save you documents under the correct folder. 

• Plan to receive loose papers Most professors will provide you with a few handouts throughout the course of the semester because of this, you will need to find a way to store them. I use an accordion folder, but there are many other options as shown below. 

  	Pros	Cons	When to use
  1 Folder per class	·         Everything is separate ·         Easy to color code ·         Small ·         Cheap	·         Could be too many folders to carry ·         Easy to forget a folder or bring the wrong one	This works if you don’t have many classes. As long you are careful, and make sure you are grabbing the right folder.
  Accordion folder	·         Everything is together so you can’t grab the wrong folder	·         Big ·         Can be pricey, if you want one that is going to last	This is great if you have many classes back-to-back.
  Binder(S)	·         Everything is separate and organized ·         Can add loose notebook paper and keep all of your notes in it ·         Can have one per class or one for all classes	·         Bulky (these take up too much room in backpacks) ·         Won’t fit on a small desk ·         Can get expensive ·         Heavy ·         If you have one that include papers from every class it will fill up quickly	This is great if you have one or two classes a day that aren't back-to-back.
  Notebook Pockets	·         Convenient ·         Don’t have to carry folders around ·         Small ·         Cheap	·         The pockets rip easily ·         Papers can fall out ·         Papers get folded	This is good if you don’t get many handouts.

   What you do not want to do, is carry one folder for all of your things. This never works! By the end of the semester your folder will be bulging out with loose papers crammed every which way. 

• Consider color coding This can take time and is not always an option but there are many ways to color code your notes in order to make them more navigable. You can make the color of your notebooks match your folders, or the pen you use in your agenda to mark down homework. If you don't want to do that, you can simply write in different colors. You can assign a color for different things that you write such as headings, subheading, lecture notes, reading notes, etc. If you're pressed for time during class, you can always go back and highlight your notes with different colors.

• Add a table of contents. If you have handwritten notes you should reserve the first few pages for a table of contents, by filing this out at the start of every lecture, you should be able to easily search your handwritten notes. If you are typing your notes you don't need a table of contents because you simply press "Ctrl F", and search for the keyword you are looking for. 

• Make a key and stick to it. If you are using certain symbols or colors to represent certain things you should write them down at the beginning of your notebook (you can use a sticky note) and be sure to use them consistently. This will not only make it easier to read for you, but also anyone who borrows your notes will be able to reference this as well.

• Pretend your are writing your notes for someone else to use. If you usually scribble your notes and then have trouble reading them later, pretend you are letting someone else borrow them. By doing this you will probably end up writing neater.                                                                                                    

• Always write the date. It doesn't matter where you put it, just be consistent. If you ever need to reference these (and you will) a date will be extremely helpful.

• Summarize your last class before a break. When you leave school for more than two days, you should quickly jot down what you did on your last day. This doesn't have to be long or even detailed, a bulleted list will do. When you return to class and can't remember where you were, all you have to do is glance at the list to jog your memory.

• Scan handwritten notes. Handwritten notes can easily be lost or damaged. At the end of everyday (or on the weekend) you should scan your notes. If you don't have a scanner, you can go to your library, or download an app. I use the Droid Scan app because it is faster than scanning with an actual scanner, and I can do it anywhere. If you don't have an android, fear not, there are many other apps that do the same thing.                                                                                                                                      

• Use technology made for note-taking. There are plenty of computer programs designed specifically for note-taking. I don't type my notes so I can't say whether one is better than the other, but they are definitely worth checking out. I use something similar to these computer programs, but instead of typing I write with a special pen. I use a Livescribe pen to write any notes that portray processes. (i.e. math, science) While I write, the pen records the professor. When I plug it into the computer it will show me a digital copy of my notes. If I was doodling and not paying attention, all I have to do is click on the doodle and it will start playing the recording that occurred while I was drawing.

Use these tips to keep your notes organized and speed up the studying process.









How do you organize your notes?