Here's a (former?) medical student explaining the Active Recall in more detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDbxPVn02VU
Ask HN: How to Take Good Notes?
21–30 of 137 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to Take Good Notes?
#22The fact that you cannot write everything down forces you to think about what you are hearing and find the important part to write down. Now that you have found the important part the writing helps you remember it.
When you are done with the above throw your notes in the recycling... Note that the above system works for me because I can't read my own writing anyway. (Probably a case of dysgraphia but I've never been formally diagnosed)
Re: Ask HN: How to Take Good Notes?
#23I can really recommend "How to Take Smart Notes" [1] by Sönke Ahrens. It's made a real difference for me. Ignore the self help-sounding title and give it a chance. [1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34507927
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I'm just starting to consolidate my notes, plans, and other documentation into an Emacs org-roam instance. I've got the workflow pretty well defined, now I'm just adding more and more "knowledge" to the instance.
Org-roam is a recent Emacs-based implementation of https://roamresearch.com/ where you link notes to other notes, and the system automatically creates backlinks for you. Thus creating the context for the "in what context do I want to view this note?" question.
https://blog.jethro.dev/posts/how_to_take_smart_notes_org/
Re: Ask HN: How to Take Good Notes?
#2480% of the value of notes is the act of writing them down by hand. (I don't have a citation for it, but I tend to believe it). That is notes are primarily a tool to help you not fall asleep, start daydreaming, or whatever distraction keeps you from listening. The fact that you cannot write everything down forces you to think about what you are hearing and find the important part to write down. Now that you have found…
Re: Ask HN: How to Take Good Notes?
#25Now I learn at home using textbooks, solving exercises, programming and using online materials. I'm much happier now because I can spend as much time as I want until I feel I understand it.
My answer: don't take much notes. Write down only the main topics and unusual conclusions. There's not enough time at classroom so I need to learn at home anyway. If I were to go to university again, I would write down only a rough roadmap. Keep the best textbooks, exercise books and learning materials. They are like systematic notes, but better. For math it's good to have a topic covered by more than 1 textbook, because rarely an author has the same thinking pattern as you and it helps to have an alternate point of view.
Re: Ask HN: How to Take Good Notes?
#26Re: Ask HN: How to Take Good Notes?
#2780% of the value of notes is the act of writing them down by hand. (I don't have a citation for it, but I tend to believe it). That is notes are primarily a tool to help you not fall asleep, start daydreaming, or whatever distraction keeps you from listening. The fact that you cannot write everything down forces you to think about what you are hearing and find the important part to write down. Now that you have found…
Or when reading through materials, jotting down specific insights or relevant particular passages & page notations. Research is about getting through an initial swath of material to elements of interest & use.
Subjected to an involuntary lecture on a subject not of immediate interest that will test recall or retention later, I can see their being benefit in recording what is being expressed - after all, that is literally the purpose of lecture - but the concept of notation is further reaching and of greater depth than a boredom remedy.
Re: Ask HN: How to Take Good Notes?
#2880% of the value of notes is the act of writing them down by hand. (I don't have a citation for it, but I tend to believe it). That is notes are primarily a tool to help you not fall asleep, start daydreaming, or whatever distraction keeps you from listening. The fact that you cannot write everything down forces you to think about what you are hearing and find the important part to write down. Now that you have found…
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/488e/c93cf68806bd8ac63fc7d0... ... interesting research that suggests that trying to type-out a transcript with a keyboard might be more effective.
Re: Ask HN: How to Take Good Notes?
#29Re: Ask HN: How to Take Good Notes?
#30The tools don't matter though, but the method does. Modify it as needed to suit your own style and needs :)