How do I use the charting method for notes?
Setting Up a Chart
To use the charting method, first identify the categories you need to compare. For example, if you're taking notes on different historical periods, your columns might be 'Period,' 'Key Events,' 'Important Figures,' and 'Impact.' Draw a table with these headers across the top.
Then, as you take notes, fill in each row with information that fits the categories. Each row typically represents one item—like one period, one theory, or one product. This forces you to distill information into concise points rather than long sentences.
When Charting Works Best
Charting shines when the material is structured and comparative. It's great for lectures that cover multiple similar items, like different chemical elements, literary genres, or economic systems. It also helps you spot gaps: if a cell is empty, you know you missed something.
However, charting can be rigid. If the lecture doesn't follow your categories, you might struggle to fit information in. In that case, you can leave extra space or switch to a more flexible method like boxing. Charting is also harder to use for narrative or discussion-based content.
- Identify 3-5 key categories for comparison
- Draw a table with those categories as column headers
- Use one row per item or topic
- Keep entries short—use keywords or phrases
- Review by scanning columns for patterns
Tips for Effective Charting
Keep your chart simple. Too many columns make it cluttered and hard to read. If you need more than five categories, consider splitting into two charts. Also, use abbreviations and symbols to save time, but make sure you can understand them later.
After the lecture, review your chart and add any missing details. You can also color-code rows or columns to highlight important comparisons. If you're taking digital notes, spreadsheet software makes charting easy because you can resize cells and sort data.
Common mistakes
- Trying to chart unstructured or storytelling content, which doesn't fit neatly into columns.
- Making the chart too wide with too many categories, causing confusion.
- Writing full sentences in cells instead of concise keywords, which slows you down.
