Busy academics may feel pressure to build an extensive library of notes, focusing on the aesthetics or completeness of the collection. However, the emphasis of note-taking for academics should be on using the process to drive comprehension and intellectual exploration.

A great note in itself has no value.

Read: Notes help you remember.

Note-taking should be a springboard for deeper thinking, analysis, and insight – not just as a way to passively accumulate information. This mindset can help busy academics be more strategic and impactful with their limited time and cognitive resources.

…let’s not call it note-taking, but more like thinking on paper.

Khan, A. (2020). The One Thing You Need to Learn to Fight Information Overload.

When taking notes, it may be helpful to ask yourself questions like:

• What are the key takeaways or big ideas here?
• How do these ideas connect to what I already know?
• What new insights or questions are emerging as I take these notes?
• How can I apply or build upon these concepts in my own work?

By shifting your focus away from the aesthetics or completeness of your notes, and instead using the note-taking process to drive deeper engagement with the material, you can unlock far more value from your limited time and cognitive resources

The purpose of note-taking for academics should be to use them as a foundation to deepen your understanding, generate new ideas, and advance your thinking on a topic.

The notes are a means to an end, not the end itself.