How to Effectively Take Notes in a Textbook

By Brittany Loeffler on October 23, 2017

Some college students consider it taboo to take notes directly in their textbook. They don’t want to interfere with the crisply printed text already on the clean white pages with their smudgy handwriting. It may just confuse them so much that it affects the way they study and their grade in the class!

It’s a good thing there are some helpful tips on how to effectively take course notes in a textbook that will keep the pages clean and your notes organized. Who wouldn’t want all of their notes and class material in one place?

via Pixabay

Preview the chapter

Before even thinking about taking notes in your textbook, preview the chapter first. Skim over what the chapter will be about and how it is broken down. There may be topics mentioned on the first page that are expanded on halfway through the chapter. Keep this in mind while reading it so you know where you should be taking notes on that topic in the chapter.

When you preview the chapter, you will already have an idea of what kind of notes you will need to take and on which topics. After skimming the chapter and flipping through it, then you can actively read and take notes.

via Pixabay

Keep it simple

Just like when you take notes during a lecture, keep the note taking simple. Do not use full sentences when taking notes in your textbook. Simple phrases and keywords should be used instead of sentences. These words should be specific enough that you know what you are talking about and taking note of, but simple enough not to take up too much room in your textbook.

Don’t clutter the page

While keeping your notes simple and concise, don’t clutter the page with them. Write in the margins as much as you can next to the topic or sentence you are taking note of. If there is a graphic that you need to make a note of, write it underneath or next to the image.

By keeping your notes short and using only a few words, you should be able to fit everything you need in the margins. If this is not the case, feel free to put a symbol such as an asterisk next to an important piece of information and expand on it in the back of your textbook or on a page with more whitespace.

via Pixabay

Highlight information

Highlighters are a college student’s best friend. Being able to choose different colors to highlight important information in a textbook is a lifesaver! Instead of writing down every piece of information you feel is important, save some time and highlight it.

Don’t get too carried away though. If you are reading a paragraph and feel that every sentence in it should be highlighted, reread it and only highlight key phrases, words, or a sentence that summarizes the chapter. By doing this, your textbook won’t feel too cluttered with notes.

via Pixabay

Post-it notes

Sometimes you just have a lot to say in your notes and that’s okay. So, instead of writing down all of your thoughts directly in your textbook and cluttering the page, use some colorful sticky notes. The great thing about sticky notes is that they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors for all of your note-taking needs!

Write down your questions, diagrams, bullet points, lists, or full sentences on a sticky note and paste it right into your textbook. You can also choose different colors for different topics.

via Pixabay

Bookmark pages

Sometimes you will come across a page or two that is so extremely important that taking notes on it won’t justify how important it is. In this case, instead of highlighting the entire page, use a sticky note as a bookmark. Write down what the topic is on the sticky note so you can see what you have bookmarked when the textbook is closed.

via Pixabay

Expanding your notes

If you are able to take all of your notes in your textbook, you have officially mastered note taking. However, there is a good chance that you will need a notebook companion with your class notes.

If you decide to take detailed notes on a chapter in your textbook, outlining it is the best way to do it. Using the headings and subheadings, you can list out your notes and important information. It will keep you extremely organized and can connect back to the notes you have made in your textbook and vice versa.

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