Ask HN: How to take notes?

You can always refer to the flash cards like regular notes, but by memorizing the information instead of just jotting it down you greatly increase the speed at which you learn new things.

I find I memorise concepts well when there’s some kind of physicality to them, and I’ve therefore repeatedly gone for the “serial killer wall” method of note taking - in my case, it tends to be multiple A4 sheets with handwritten notes or printed reference sheets plastered on every visible surface around my workspace, using cork pinboards for more space, with an arrangement of information that makes sense to me - I like a four coloured biro for splitting out either dimensions or topics of information, and sharpie or string to link disconnected areas together. This translates well for digital applications, like coding and electronic engineering, physical applications, and more abstract learning efforts, like cramming a masters in physics, or learning a language.

Yes, you can replicate this with a wiki or hyperlinked whatever, and I sometimes do for pocket guides, but being able to fetch information at a glance is key to making that recall just happen without looking, for me.

The structuring of the notes takes an effort in understanding, in creating a landscape of interconnected information - and the structure of the notes becomes the physical representation of the structure of the information framework. I then, later, when referring to some part of some knowledge acquired this way, find my mind’s eye using that same structure to identify the relevant information.

Anyway. It really is whatever works for you, and trial and error will get you there - for me, it’s paper, pen, and somewhere to put it all.

Try to avoid getting into rote learning. I learned that way as a kid, I'll find myself writing squiggly notes just because somehow it makes me remember stuff the act of writing something.

For coding stuff I don't really have notes about "coding" more on random neat tricks/concepts(like about Git/Systemd), which means store them somewhere eg. an app that has a global search like OneNote/Evernote/Notes(Mac).

For general fast learning I recommend crash courses on YouTube eg. by Traversy Media/others.

Also using sandboxes where some code is already setup so you can have something to work from.

Generally though I think practice is what will make it stick and personal desire to achieve/build something that you want.

Consider taking notes by hand instead of using a computer. I found one study from some time ago that suggested handwritten notes are better: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/095679761452458... I personally find taking notes by hand better for me. Since I can't find any studies replicating the result of the one I cited, I suggest trying it out and see if it helps!

When I was taking notes for class lectures, I would split sections of notes by date, titling subsections in a given day as appropriate. This sort of chunking will help you remember the notes better, rather than writing in one continuous stream. If you're taking online courses to learn some programming languages, I think this method will work! If not, I would suggest keeping a notebook per programming language and just organize your notes by day.

When taking notes, you do NOT want to copy what's on screen or what's being talked about verbatim. You want to capture just the highlights, so that they'll jog your memory later. I generally write tons of bullet points instead of complete sentences, and I end up with more of an outline at the end than paragraphs of information. If you need the finer details, it's better to go back and review the source material itself.

Once you have your notes, you can review them by going day-by-day. For your case, if you need to refer to previous sections quickly, consider bookmarking them with sticky notes. (Not sure how you would do this digitally.) You might be surprised to find that the act of writing down the notes was enough to keep them in your head, and you may not actually need to review your notes often.

Hope this helps!