One of the best techniques to retain information is through notes, and it is an excellent idea to create a note template to make this even more efficient. You can do it by hand, on paper, or in Word. This is one of the easiest ways to create note templates.
We often have to attend classes or lectures, and memory is only sometimes a great help in these cases. That is why it is essential to carry a paper and pencil to ensure that all necessary information is considered for future assignments or studies.
What are note templates?
Note templates are pre-designed outlines for storing essential information through note-taking or data. On the other hand, templates also help summarize a text and highlight the most relevant information.
By extracting meaningful information from a text or a talk, you can create a standard note template to be reused on another occasion. Here are some examples of notes that you can print directly without having to create your own. However, you can always make your template from different websites or famous Word.
This way, you can modify the template as you wish and according to the type of information you want to include in your notes. When taking notes, there is no particular division of sections, but it is always better to organize everything to avoid confusion.
Characteristics of the note templates
Everyone can create their template as they wish and according to their needs, but if there is one thing that they all have in common, it is that they must have the following characteristics:
- Note templates created in Word are saved from being reused on another occasion.
- The templates can be used in different areas, from project information, product information, school and educational institutions, organizations, bibliography, etc.
- Note templates should be saved so that they can be edited later.
- Templates should be saved with a specific name, number, or by attribute or type to distinguish them from others.
- Note templates allow the history of modifications made since their creation to be saved.
- Entire texts can be searched through note templates.
What are note templates useful for?
Note templates help collect any information in any situation. By taking notes, you can:
- Save reports during classes, lessons, or lectures.
- Understand what is happening and what is being talked about.
- Clarify your ideas.
- Select important information and discard the rest.
- Organize your thoughts on a given topic.
- Make connections and relate one topic to another.
- Structure and plan the completion of tasks.
- Study and review the lesson before the exam.
- Remember what the teacher mentioned orally (thanks to visual memory).
What information should a note template contain?
The ideal way to create a template is to think about the topics covered in every talk, lecture, or class, which are essential, i.e., present in any subject. In summary, a good note template should have the following sections:
- The topic of the course.
- Date.
- Author (in case it is a book).
- Headings (helps to distinguish the main subjects).
- Examples, names, important information, thoughts, new ideas, etc.
- You can color or draw pictures to highlight the information they will take in the lesson (it can help memory).
- Ideas for further research or additional readings, texts, or books to study.
- Questions and doubts about what was presented in class.
- You can use abbreviations to save time and space, for example, “gov” instead of “government.”
- Add bibliographic data that have been mentioned in the lecture/book.
Remember that there is an outstanding line between note-taking and plagiarism since, if you write down verbatim what is said, it can lead to unintentional plagiarism. However unintentional, it can happen if you do not paraphrase what you are reporting.
How to create a bibliography in the notes?
The bibliography is significant when explaining and referencing what has been said or researched. That is why it is always necessary to have a good and complete bibliography, which should contain the following data:
- Name of author, organization, book, lecturer, etc.
- Date of publication, web access, class, or conference.
- Title of the source, text, web, or meeting.
- In case it is a written document, insert the page numbers.
- Any other relevant information that may be useful for reference.
How to take notes effectively?
While there is no set way to take practical notes, you can follow a pattern to keep your information organized. You can divide note-taking into three parts: before, during, and after the class, interview, lecture, or reading.
Before the lecture/reading
Find out about the topic you are going to study. For example, if you are going to a lecture, you should know who is giving the talk, what the issue is about, what is the objective of the class, and anything else you think you need to know so that you don’t arrive at the lecture without a background.
During the conference
That is the most crucial stage since you must be attentive to what is said in the conference or what is related in a book to write down the key ideas and distinguish them from the secondary ones.
Find the technique that works best for you, such as, for example, the abbreviations mentioned above or highlighting specific points, dividing your notes according to the subject matter, the time of the talk, the date of the events in the book, etc. The important thing is that you make it as comfortable and easy as possible to study later.
After the lecture or at the end of a book
After the lecture or reading a book, you should reflect on what you have learned and write down your notes. This recommendation serves not only to organize yourself but also to strengthen your visual memory.
How to create a note template in Word?
If you are computer literate, you can access different websites that offer tools to create note templates; you can even pay for subscriptions to acquire the best note templates. However, we have prepared a PDF for you a PDF to download free printable note templates in the button below.
The easiest (and free) option to create your note templates is through Word. This option is ideal for those who need to make a monthly report, presentations for your work or studies, or whatever you think is necessary. Follow a series of steps and create your note template.
- Open a new document in Word.
- Once creating the template, go to File> Save As.
- Click on “This Computer” or “Computer,” depending on your version of Office.
- Type the name you want to give the File in “File name.”
- Under “Type,” select the “Word Template” option if it is a standard template.
- If it is a template with frames, choose the option “Template enabled with Word frames.”
- Click on “Save.”
How to edit a Word template?
If you need to update your template to complete it with new information, delete the previous one (leave the File saved) and type the new template data. Then save the template.
- Log in to Word.
- Click on “File” and then “Open.”
- Find the File you want to modify in “This computer” or “Browse” and click on it.
- Go to “Documents”> “Office Custom Templates.”
- Choose the template you want to modify and press “Open.”
- Make the changes you want and save the template.
If you want to create a new file based on a template you already have on your computer, go to File> New > Custom and find the template you want to modify.
References
- “Creating and Using Note Templates | Scratchpad Help Center.” Scratchpad Help Center, https://help.scratchpad.com/en/articles/5062884-creating-and-using-note-templates.
- “Template Notes.” GNOME Library, https://help.gnome.org/users/gnote/stable/gnote-template-notes.html.en#:~:text=Template%20notes%20are%20used%20to,for%20each%20notebook%20you%20have.
- “Template: Note – Wikipedia.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Note.
For years I have studied American finance regulations. All the information in this blog is sourced from official or contrasted sources from reliable sites.
Salesforce Certified SALES & SERVICE Cloud Consultant in February 2020, Salesforce Certified Administrator (ADM-201), and Master degree in “Business Analytics & Big Data Strategy” with more than 13 years of experience in IT consulting.