When it comes to learning and taking notes, the most common thing you must have heard is that you should always take notes in your own words. However, it is not always a straightforward process, as you have to pay attention to several important factors to take accurate and effective notes.
So, if you are wondering how do you write notes in your own words, you are in the right place! In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of using your own words and how you can take notes.
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Why Should You Use Your Own Words?
It is important to write notes in your own words because our brains process verbatim notes and self-written notes differently. It happens because when you are writing and taking notes in your own words, you have to go through different steps, such as reading the information, understanding it, analyzing it, linking the knowledge with any existing information, and writing the summary in your words.
As a result, you engage a lot more with your brain. It is understandable that writing notes in your own words is time-consuming, but it is definitely worth it in the long run, as you’ll be retaining information in a much better way. Hence, you won’t have to spend too much time later revising it or cramming the information.
Passive vs. Active Learning Techniques
Every learning technique has its own pros and cons. Verbatim note-taking is considered a passive learning strategy because it involves minimum engagement. It involves learning about a topic on a fundamental level without analyzing it in much detail.
On the other hand, when you are writing notes in your own words, you will be engaging with the content on a much deeper level. It helps you in gaining a solid understanding of the concept you are dealing with and also analyze it while creating detailed notes.
Why Do Students Use Verbatim Notes?
Following are the major reasons why students love to write verbatim notes instead of writing them in their own words:
- Students often think that everything is important in a topic and have difficulty picking out the main points.
- Students struggle with summarizing and condensing the provided information to write notes in their own words.
- Note-taking might seem too complex or time-consuming.
- Copying word-by-word is easier.
- Students have a misconception that since textbooks are written by experts, they should not change any words on them.
Why Should You Write Notes In Your Own Words?
Following are the major reasons why it is important to write notes in your own words:
- Writing a summarized and condensed version of the topic you are learning will help you thoroughly understand it.
- You can revise notes in your own words quickly and easily, so you can prepare for your exam in a much better way.
- Writing in your own words involves a thorough understanding and analysis of the material in question. It will help you in developing a deeper understanding of the content.
- Once you understand a concept, you will be able to critically analyze it. It can be achieved by writing about the different aspects of the topic in your own words.
- Your study material will be greatly improved when you take notes in your own words and engage your brain on a much deeper level. It ultimately translates to better grades and greater success in exams.
- Writing notes in your own words means you will be able to personalize the notes and also add any additional content that you might want to add to make the content learning and revision easier.
- Taking notes will significantly enhance your academic writing skills as you’ll get used to understanding, analyzing, and writing on different topics in your own words. It is much better than simply copying and pasting some content from a textbook. Instead, you will be equipped to better handle the arguments in essays as well as during the exams.
- Note-taking in your own words is useful in enhancing your paraphrasing skills so that you can write much better essays. It is also helpful in removing plagiarism from your essays and showing a better understanding of the content.
5 Tips to Write Notes In Your Own Words
In order to take effective notes in your own words, you should follow these tips:
- Identify the central theme of the topic you are dealing with and make sure that you do not deviate from this theme to keep the notes engaging and focused.
- Write the notes in the context of the learning outcomes or objectives of the unit of work. It is also useful in writing summaries and making sure you have covered all of the important points during your study session.
- Thoroughly read the section of material first before you start writing about it in your own words.
- Make sure you have a complete understanding of the content before writing notes in your own words.
Overall, if you have been wondering how do you write notes in your own words, you should follow the tips and tricks discussed above to achieve your goal.