College Study Tips: How to Take Better Notes While Reading



Individuals have used note-taking to document, memorize, and retain information since the very first words were chiseled on stone tablets millennia ago. Over the years since then, little has changed in terms of documenting information and data. For years, a writing utensil and a sheet of paper have been sufficient for completing the task. However, with modern times come modern solutions. Today, there are computer and smartphone applications that completely revolutionize the note-taking process by saving time and increasing efficiency, all in a fun and user-friendly format.

When in college, students must retain large amounts of information every day from both their readings and the material discussed in lectures. To adequately retain this knowledge and apply it to other areas, effective note-taking is essential. Therefore, the next time you are reading for class, consider these tips for how to take notes in college.

Tip 1: Ditch the Pen and Paper

Of course, these tips specifically focus on electronic note-taking applications and software, so there is no need to continue carrying around pens and notepads. In fact, to take effective notes electronically, all you need is your computer, smartphone, or tablet to get the job done. A great example of an all-inclusive note-taking application is Lightmap, which can be installed on a computer and offers an array of features that will completely change the way that you take notes and study.

Tip 2: Understand How Your Memory Works

With Lightmap or a similar application installed, you are almost ready to begin taking notes. However, before you start using your new application, you need to understand how your memory works when reading and taking notes. For example, as humans, our attention spans are not incredibly long; therefore, when reading college-level material, it’s essential to highlight and jot down information as you read so that you do not forget important details. Also, after a note-taking session, you should read over your notes. The sooner you reread your notes, the more likely you will retain the material within your memory.

Tip 3: Familiarize Yourself with Your Note-Taking Software

Now it’s time to familiarize yourself with your new notes app. Lightmap, for example, gives users many different choices to customize their note-taking experience and incorporate the information in unique ways, such as by building your personal knowledge base. This is accomplished with Lightmap’s feature that allows users to turn bullet lists and other information into multi-leveled documents, rich with information pertaining to your class or topic. Thus, when taking notes on a book for your English class, you can easily manage your class notes, study notes, and all other information in one location.

Tip 4: Categorize Notes by Subject, Chapter, Ect.

Your application can also help you create a note-taking study guide that you can categorize to meet your needs. With Lightmap, you can group information and notes that you’ve taken from reading material by subject, chapter, and specific terms, which allows you to know exactly where your information is when it’s time to study without the disorganization that comes with notepads.

Lightmap Note-Taking Application

We hope these tips on how to take notes electronically improve your overall note-taking experience when reading. Our application revolutionizes the way in which college students take notes by offering methods that accommodate both simple and complex note-taking. With our app, you can write and organize notes, effortlessly collaborate with others for group projects, and share your documents to a greater audience with Lightmap Cloud, all from one convenient place.

For additional information regarding our plans and pricing, visit our website.