Take notes in the Q&A format, not verbatim

Write notes as question–answer pairs, not as copied sentences.

Why it works

Q&A notes turn note-taking into a pre-built self-testing tool. When you later review, covering the answer column and trying to recall forces retrieval practice with zero extra setup. Verbatim notes, by contrast, are recognized rather than recalled — the very illusion of fluency that derails studying.

How to do it

1. Divide a page into two columns: questions on the left, answers on the right (similar to Cornell format).
2. After each section, write the heading-question on the left and the answer in your own words on the right.
3. When reviewing, cover the right column and try to answer from the left alone.

Evidence

Q&A or recall-based note formats are supported by the broader retrieval-practice evidence base. The Cornell note-taking system uses the same structure; studies of Cornell notes show higher recall than other formats in some educational contexts. (observational)

Evidence on note-taking formats is generally correlational or from small controlled studies; effect sizes vary by content type, and not all studies show differences between formats.

Common mistake

Writing notes during reading rather than after — notes made while reading are mostly transcription; notes made after reciting reflect what you could actually reconstruct.