Outline Method of Note-Taking
Effective note-taking is essential to get through high school and college. You probably already use note-taking to record and remember information from textbooks, lectures, videos, etc. Notes are a great way to force yourself to pay attention in class and absorb information. Notes also enable quick and effective review of concepts before tests. To take your note-taking game to the next level, maybe consider the outline method!
What is the outline method of note-taking?
The outline method of note-taking consists of creating an organized, hierarchical structure of the given information. The structure consists of main points, supporting points, and supporting details.
To make outline notes:
Write down the main topic on the left side of the page.
Indent the subtopics under the main topics.
Indent the supporting details under the subtopics.
Repeat
Use bullet points, arrows, letters, numbers, and colors to help you differentiate between different levels of ideas.
An ideal outline would look something like this:
Main topic
Subtopic
Supporting detail
Subtopic
Supporting detail
Supporting detail
Main topic
Subtopic
Supporting detail
Supporting detail
Advantages of the outline method
The outline method is preferable to transcribing entire lectures in your notes for many reasons.
Outline notes present data in a structured format, enabling you to draw relationships between concepts.
It breaks down ideas into bite-sized chunks and thus is easy to comprehend. It makes for quick and easy review before tests.
Additionally, you can cover everything but the main topics with one hand and try to recall everything you have learned as part of that concept.
The organized notes mean you can easily skip topics you are familiar with when preparing for tests. You can also repeatedly scan through the main topics to see if you need to revise anything.
Disadvantages of the outline method
Creating structured notes requires you to identify a structure to the information you are taking notes on. Thus, the outline method may be unsuitable for situations where you do not have enough time to process and organize information. For example, it would be difficult to take outline notes of fast-paced and unstructured lectures.
Other types of note-taking methods
1. Sentence method: This method consists of transcribing a lecture word for word.
2. List method: This method consists of taking notes in points written one below the other in the same sequence as they appear in the lecture.
3. Concept maps: This method is a diagrammatic form of note-taking that emphasizes the relationships between concepts and information.
4. Cornell method: This is a method of note-taking in which you divide your piece of paper into three sections: a slim column for keywords, a larger column for the main notes, and the lecture summary. This method provides a simple way to condense, organize and revise your notes.
Final thoughts on the outline method
Whatever note-taking method you adopt, remember to keep your notes concise with just the core essentials. We hope you try out the outline method for better, more structured notes. Once you’ve created your notes, you can create a study guide and prepare for tests. Need additional help creating notes or study guides? Sign up for a free tutoring session with UPchieve today.