Expand notes

Created: 2024-02-12 15:24:53 - Touched: 2024-12-09 15:04:11 - Status: Stable

What it is

When taking notes during a lecture, one typically can only hit the highlights and core concepts in what one writes. One’s mind may feel like it has a good hold on the specifics of each of the points, but over time, these details can quickly be lost when they’re not connected to other concepts (e.g. using Concept chaining). To combat this, one should fill in the details of one’s notes as soon as possible after the lecture, preferably immediately following it and certainly before traveling home from campus.

How to do it

Use the highlights you recorded during the lecture as your outline. Rewrite your notes with section and subsection headings and full explanations of every topic covered in the lecture. Pretend it’s your job to write the textbook that subsequent semesters of students will use when learning this material. Distill as much detail as you can possibly remember, and make notes when you know there was something more to a particular point than you can recall. During your next study session, start by reviewing your expanded notes for areas where your recall wasn't perfect, and look them up in your textbook or review the lecture video to fill in your gaps.

When to apply it

After every lecture or other event for which you take notes.

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