As laptops are as common as notepads nowadays, it is not seen as unusual when someone opens one in a lecture or a meeting to take notes on. The modern version of pen and paper can be very handy if you know how to use it properly.
There are various skills that many people already have and some that must be learned to enable effective use of laptops for note-taking but to also ensure you are courteous to others around you and make efforts to avoid distracting them.
Five top tips and skills that will enable the most productive use of your laptop for the purpose of note taking are listed below:-
- 1. Not many of us can type 100 words per minute, so to attempt to fully write everything that is being said is impractical. Instead, make abbreviated notes on the important points but ensure that you understand your own style of note taking. To try and write out whole conversations can mean that you miss vital new information that is being given.
- 2. Preparation is key. By doing as much preparation before the lecture or meeting as possible will enable you to have a head start on your note taking. Simple things such as opening up your writing package and inserting the date and headings if you know them will all save vital time. If you have your laptop in ‘hibernate’ mode, you can conserve the battery but as soon as you need to start taking notes, you simply lift up the screen and you are ready to go. By reading through any notes prior to the meeting or lecture you can pre-prepare any questions you may have, thus saving time by already having a pre-understanding of the topic.
- 3. Order your notes in a way that makes sense so that when the speaker jumps from one section back to another, you can also with ease, jump back in your notes and add any extra information in. Sub headings and colour co-ordinated sections can help with organising your notes.
- 4. At the earliest point after the meeting or lecture is over, it is a good idea to transcribe your notes. This is because the information is still fresh in your mind so you are likely to still be able to add to your notes from your memory.
- 5. Writing packages that are designed for these note taking purposes are well worth investing in. Microsoft OneNote is a particularly versatile piece of software for students. Part of the Microsoft Office 2010 package, OneNote is available online at dramatically discounted prices specifically for students and teachers. An excellent tool to use for note-taking, it is not to be missed at these excellent prices.
Many people can see the benefits of using laptops for note taking but some still struggle to move completely away from pen and paper. For those of you that are still unsure, the Smartpen is an excellent way to incorporate technology into your note taking.
The Smartpen has the capability to record everything that is written down and quickly transfer it into OneNote. This is due to the ability of the Smartpen to search and record handwritten text and then convert it into Microsoft OneNote.