Are you a visual learner?
Do you struggle looking at big blocks of text, or even your own handwritten notes come when it comes time to study for an exam?
Studies show that 65% of people are visual learners, but many don’t even know it. This is because for so long, there hasn’t been an alternative to traditional note-taking techniques.
In recent years, a new technique is gaining popularity—visual note-taking. These techniques have been proven to help people stay engaged and retain information better. Especially for visual learners.
So what is it exactly, and how do you do it? Here, we break down note-taking practices and techniques for improving your academic performance.
What Is Visual Note-Taking?
Visual note-taking—also sometimes called "sketch noting" or "visible thinking"—is the process of incorporating visuals and colors into your notes to enhance the retention of information.
Traditional note-taking is little more than repeating what information is being delivered in the form of text. For many learners, this technique can be too passive, with information not sinking in once it hit the page.
When your brain is forced to think about the concepts visually, it engages multiple parts of the brain at once. Studies show this deepens learning and retention, which is what makes visual note taking so effective.
Visual Note-Taking Techniques
Now you might be thinking, "I’m a terrible artist. I’ll never be good at taking visual notes!"
Visual note-taking is not about being able to draw well or even write neatly. In fact, it can take the pressure off having to take neat and organized notes, as you can place ideas anywhere on the page that makes sense to you.
You can use something like a "mind map" or "concept map." This is where your main focus is in the middle, and other topics and ideas branch out as they come up organically during the lecture or discussion.
Or, if you’re more text-oriented, you could incorporate different colored pens and highlighters to create section blocks. You can use these to separate different topics and draw attention to key points.
If you’re taking notes digitally, you can take this a step further by incorporating photos and digital images into your notes. Remove background from an image and stick it into your visual notes to create icons or make important information stand out.
Practice Makes Perfect, Or Close Enough
At first, your visual notes way just look like a chaotic jumble on the page. That’s okay!
The wonderful thing about notes is no one else has to see them. Don’t worry about their artistic merit, especially when you’re starting out.
Start by practicing taking notes you won’t have to reference for an exam. For example, on a YouTube video you’re watching for fun, or when listening to a song.
Practicing will help you hone your skills to write and draw quickly, so you can stay in the moment and take better visual notes on the fly.
other related articles of interest:
Improve Your Retention So You Can Study Less
The key benefit to visual note-taking is how much more information you’ll retain. This way, when you go back to your class notes, you’ll remember more of the information being shared.
So it won’t matter if your notes are less than perfect—you’ll remember most of them anyway. And isn’t that the point of taking notes?
Looking for more ways to prep for college? Check out our blog for everything from study tips to getting settled at your new school.
Image Credit: how visual note taking can help by envato.com
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