By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. The entire point of taking notes is so that they become something useful to you. If you’re taking notes that are disorganized, unclear or incomplete, they’re not useful, which is a waste of your time. In this blog post, I teach …
What to highlight when annotating novels
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. There seems to be endless confusion around annotation techniques. “What do I highlight?” is one of the most common skill-based questions I’m asked, and so this blog post teaches you what to highlight when annotating novels. In a future blog post, …
How to choose school supplies based on your learning style
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Learning styles (or learning preferences) can influence the way we feel about and understand what we’re learning. I have many resources that teach tips for setting up your study space and using study methods based on your learning style. You can …
How to take notes from a video: 19 video note-taking tips
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. This post teaches you how to take notes from a video. There are various scenarios when you’ll have to take notes from a video, especially for online classes. The following best practices apply to students in middle school, high school, college …
How to take notes from a textbook: 11 note-taking tips
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Before you learn how to take notes from a textbook, you need to make two key decisions. Where will you take your notes, and what note-taking format will you choose? I explain both decisions below. Where to take your textbook notes …
How to write a summary of a text: 6 tips for summarizing
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Knowing how to write a summary of a text is one of the most important skills for school and work. It’s even important outside of school, like in everyday conversations with people (Hey, what was that movie about? How’s that book …
10 lists every student should have
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. While the human brain is unfathomably amazing, it’s not meant to store large amounts of unconnected information. That’s why we have lists. Lists externally store non-urgent data for future reference. Using lists can reduce stress, increase the accessibility of information, help …
Tips for open-book exams
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Open-book exams have a complicated reputation, as there are pros and cons to this type of test: Pro: You have to memorize less information. Con: Open-book exams offer a false sense of security, fooling you into thinking the answers will just …
6 common annotation mistakes you’re likely making
Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Below, I share 6 common annotation mistakes I see students make all the time when reading and marking up text. Check to see if you’re making any of these mistakes, and then follow the solutions I give for up-leveling your annotation game. …
7 note organization ideas
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. I’ve covered note-taking strategies more than any other topic on my blog and YouTube tutorials. That’s because taking notes is a pillar of learning, no matter your situation. Taking notes is also super important for professionals to master – so whether …