Start here · Essential guide
A Practical Guide to Taking Good Notes
An overview of common note-taking methods, what each one is good for, and a simple way to choose and adjust an approach that fits how you study.
Study Skills
Reading and Note-Taking
Getting more from texts, lectures and your own notes.
Handwritten vs Typed Notes: Weighing the Options
Pen or keyboard? Compare the practical tradeoffs of handwritten and typed notes, from speed and focus to searching and sharing, without absolute claims.
How to Annotate Texts Without Over-Highlighting
Learn to mark up reading in ways that support later review: when to highlight, how to write useful margin notes, and a simple system that avoids walls of yellow.
How to Read a Textbook Chapter Effectively
A before, during and after approach to dense textbook chapters: preview the structure, read in short stretches with questions, then review to make it stick.
How to Turn Notes Into Study Summaries
Condense long notes into one-page summaries for revision: what to keep, how to organize it, and how to use the finished page for self-testing.
Mind Mapping for Study and Revision
How to build a visual map of a topic, step by step, and when mind maps work better than linear notes for studying and revising.
Skimming and Scanning: When to Use Each
Skimming gets you the gist, scanning finds a specific detail. Learn how each fast-reading mode works, when to use it, and where both fall short.
Taking Notes From Lectures and Videos
Practical ways to capture key ideas live from lectures and recorded lessons, including before, during and after routines and tips for pausing video.
The Cornell Note-Taking System Explained
How the Cornell format works: the page layout, the cue column, the summary section, and a step-by-step routine for using it to study.
The SQ3R Reading Method for Students
Survey, question, read, recite and review: a step-by-step explanation of the SQ3R method for reading textbooks and articles more actively.
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