Choosing how to take notes matters as much as deciding what to write down. No single method suits every situation: a fast-moving lecture calls for a different technique than a seminar discussion or a dense reading assignment. Recognising which method fits which setting will save you time you would otherwise spend on notes that are hard to use later.
The most familiar approach is a straightforward, linear record: you write down points in the order the speaker presents them, using short phrases and leaving space to add details later. This suits lectures well, since information arrives quickly and a lecturer usually follows a planned structure that your notes can mirror.
A second approach divides the page into a main area and a narrow margin. You write your notes in the larger space, then add short cue questions or keywords in the margin afterwards. This suits seminars and discussions, where ideas move between several speakers and a strictly linear record becomes hard to follow; the margin questions also give you ready-made prompts for review.