Fiducia TogetherNote-taking
Recording information so you can use it later. Copying is not note-taking.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
Note-taking condenses and restructures information — Cornell notes, mind maps, dual coding with diagrams, or a simple structured summary.
Where it applies
Every subject.
How it works
Notes work when they require processing. Copying text verbatim feels productive and produces almost no learning, because nothing was decided.
Dual coding — words plus a diagram — is one of the better-evidenced strategies.
How to use it in your work
Condense: aim for a third of the original length. The compression is the learning.
Use your own words. If you cannot, you have not understood it yet, and that is worth knowing now.
Leave a margin for questions, and use it later for retrieval practice.
Where to get help
Your teacher and your board's specification and mark scheme.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.