Meaning and differences between note taking and note making: Notes are an essential record of Information which can help one in preparing for a seminar, presentation, assignment or an Examination. The process of forming Note is usually referred to as Note Taking. However, there is a distinction between Note Taking and Note Making.

This article examines the Concept of Note taking and Note making explicitly stating the differences which exist between them.

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Meaning of note taking?

Note taking is the act of writing down pieces of information in a systematic way. It is the first stage of producing an effective note and is the process which involves writing or recording what you hear, see or read during Lectures, Tutorials, Webinar and Seminar in a descriptive way.

Note taking may also be referred to as the practice of recording information captured from another source. By taking notes, the writer records the essence of the Information, freeing their mind from having to recall everything.

Note taking involves:

a. Notes being copied from the original source and rewritten in a similar format.

b. Writing down most of what you hear or read without actually processing the information.

c. Note taken while trying to cover most or all information without highlighting the main points or issues.

From the above definition, it is conclusive to state that Note taking is what we do when we attend Lectures, watch videos or read a book. Say for example, copying what your lecturer is saying or teacher teaching in a Lecture hall or Classroom is known as Note Taking.

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Advantages of Note Taking

Some of the advantages of Note Taking include:

1. It promotes active learning

2. It is necessary for easy memorization of facts

3. It improves focus and attention to details

4. It boasts comprehension and retention of what you have just listened to

5. It improves organizational skills with the way one prioritize their content of what they hear, and organize it effectively in their book.

6. It is an essential listening skill as it only takes paying attention and listening to details to be able to take notes.

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Meaning of Note Making

Note Making is the practice of keeping record from different sources. It essentially goes beyond writing down what you hear or see. Note making is a more intellectual activity than Note taking as it involves selecting, analyzing, and summarizing what you hear and read. Note Making is therefore an active approach to studies as it forces you to think as you have to make decisions about what you write.

In some other words, Note Making means taking separate notes from your Lectures, videos, books and creating one document that combines the information you have obtained into a briefing that you will probably use for revision or future reference.

Ultimately, Note making can be defined as a way of recording important details from a source. That source could be books, articles, meetings, or any oral discussion.

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There are three stages of Note making:

1. Before stage: This is where you prepare by finding out what you need to know and what is the purpose of Reading or Lecture.

2. During: This is the stage where you note down the main ideas and key words

3. After: Here, you reflect, review and organize your notes.

Flowing from the above Note making happens when you:

1. Synthesize your reading from a number of sources on the same topic

2. Summarize for yourself the connections in any reading or from any lecture

3. Add your own critical comments to what you read or hear.

Advantages of Note Making

a. Note making is essential in Academic writing and preparation for Exams

b. It helps in recording and recollecting past events said or heard

c. Note making provides a permanent record of things and helps one in understanding materials, topics, and concepts easily.

d. Note Making helps one to put Notes in their own words

e. Note Making makes it easier to distinguish between key points and details

f. Note Making helps a person to pay attention to what they are reading, as you cannot make note without paying attention to what you are reading.

Having considered these two concepts of Note Taking and Note Making, we can all agree that they are similar to each other. Let’s therefore consider these Similarities which exist between them.

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Note Taking vs Note Making

The fact that you try to record everything that is said or written down when you take notes is one of the major distinctions between note-taking and note-making. When you make notes, on the other hand, you are attempting to remember the most crucial details and condense them in a manner that makes sense to you. Another distinction is that you normally use a notebook and a pen or pencil when taking notes. You can use a variety of devices, such as a computer, tablet, or phone, to make notes. The primary purpose of taking notes is to help you remember what was said or written. Whenever you make notes, you typically do it to aid you in a project.

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Differences Between Note Taking and Note Making

While there are a handful of similarities which exist between Note Taking and Note Making as considered above, hence making it difficult for people to distinguish them and generally refer to both as Note Taking, there are clear cut differences which exist between them. These differences are:

a. The fact that note-taking is a quicker process than note-making is one of the main distinctions between the two. It takes less time and effort than starting from scratch while making notes. It is more practical to take notes quickly because of how quickly thoughts and crucial details can be noted during a meeting or lecture. On the other side, making notes takes more time, but the final result is a more thorough and structured set of notes.

b. While making notes refers to crafting a more official and comprehensive document, taking notes is the process of writing down information in brief phrases. The language of the speaker is also employed for taking notes, as opposed to the language of the writer. In a meeting, for instance, you might use the speaker’s language when taking notes, but your language would be used if you were writing a note about the meeting.

It is up to the note-taker to decide whether or not to record in the language of the speaker. But most often, note-takers like taking their notes in the speaker’s native tongue.

c. Note Made is easier to understand than Note taken in class or elsewhere as in Note making you are adding your own thoughts to what you are writing down, while in Note Taking you are just copying down whatever you hear or see.

d. Note Taking involves taking points from one source at a time, while Note Making involves taking points from different sources.

e. In Note taking, less understanding process is involved as the aim of Note taking is to write down what one is hearing or seeing, whereas in Note Making full understanding is involved as the aim is to help a person understand a topic or concept better.

f. Note taking brings little or no improvement towards your studying skills, while Note Making on the other hand improves your studying skills.

g. Note taking is Complex as the overall structure of a topic or course cannot be shown, whereas in Note Making the overall structure of a specific subject can be shown and it is simpler.

h. Note Taking involves writing down what you hear or read without processing the Information, whereas Note Making Involves processing what you hear or read.

I. Note Taking is a passive approach to studying, whereas Note Making is an active approach to studying.

J. Note Making is a more intellectual and demanding task than Note Taking.

Similarities between Note Taking and Note Making

a. Both involves writing Notes

b. Both aids preparation and study in School

c. Both are necessary for the documentation of key points in meeting, conferences, and Lectures.

d. Both aids remembrance of points

e. Both promotes Active learning

f. Both aids concentration and makes reading easier.

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In Conclusion, according to Edgar Wright in his book about Study methods, the distinction between Note Taking and Note Making is that Note taking often happens while listening and the goal is to quickly capture the content so we can refer back to it later on, while Note Making is more common in reading as it consists in deliberately crafting your own version so you can learn and create better.

Importantly, Note Taking is all about jotting down notes verbatim from a Class, Lecture, Textbook, or Video. While Note Making is all about making personalized notes to describe what you have understood clearly from a textbook or class lecture. Hence, in Note Making you are using your own words. Trust you now understand the differences which exist between Note taking and Note Making? For more scintillating educational and informative articles, stay glued to this blog.

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.