21 Take Effective Notes on Online Readings
Why take notes on online content? After all, you can easily search for it and read it again. However, re-reading is not always the most effective use of time. Taking good notes helps you quickly review the key points in the material that you have read.
Taking notes is also an effective learning strategy. Intentionally annotating the texts that you read requires you to critically engage with the material. You are doing the work of identifying the important content and considering its implications for your course and your professional practice. This practice facilitates deep learning and ensures that you remember key material.
Choose the note-taking method that is most effective for you. You may prefer traditional notebooks. Many readers underline, highlight, and put keynotes in the margins of their books. You may prefer to create typewritten notes and store these notes using your electronic notebook or information management system. Another tool for engaging with digital texts is Hypothesis.
Watch the video below, and consider how this tool might work for you. If you prefer reading to watching videos, scroll to the bottom of the page for a transcript.
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Video Transcript
So, you have your texts for your course, but they’re not regular textbooks. You’ll be using online texts and other articles as the primary readings in your course. What strategies can you use for making effective notes that will help you retain what you are reading, prepare for exams, and note key information for use in your assignments?
One tool that can help you take notes electronically is Hypothesis. Hypothesis is a free tool that you add to the Chrome browser that allows you to highlight and add notes to online text. In this video, you will learn how to install Hypothesis, create notes and highlights, and create a group to work collaboratively with your classmates.
To get started with Hypothesis, you will first create a free account. Type hypothesis into the search bar to visit the page. On the top right, you will find a “Get Started” button. Click here to create your account. You will provide your email address, create a user name, and password. Then, check your email and click on the link to activate your account.
The second step is to install the Hypothesis extension in your web browser. In this case, you will use the Chrome browser. To install the extension, go to the “Get Started” section of the Hypothesis page. Then, click the Chrome extension button. This will guide you through the steps of installing the extension.
When the extension is installed, you will see a square icon at the top left of your screen. When you click this icon, you will see a new menu on the far right of your browser. Click the arrow to open the menu and login.
Next, you will choose where to store your notes. Be aware that the default setting is public. You will likely want to create a private