What script should I learn for note taking at the University?

[Goldberg]

Hi,

I have a terribly looking handwriting and I decided to learn Spencerian or Palmer or... What do you guys use?

I don't like the look of Palmer and I am seriously considering Spencerian, but is it too slow for note taking?

What do you think?
What are other scripts I should be taking in consideration?

Thanks!

[BlkWhiteFilmPix]

Learning Spencerian will improve your handwriting (https://pageflutter.com/spencerian-penmanship/), but for note taking its many flourishes aren't suited for quick writing.

Have you considered New American Cursive (http://www.newamericancursive.com)? It combines the best of what we learned in school with an easier way of writing capital letters.

Best wishes for your studies, and for writing that you are happy with.

[ShugPug]

Spencerian is beautiful, but probably not practical for swift notes. I'm working through Michael Sull's latest book (https://www.amazon.com/Art-Cursive-Penmanship-Personal-Handwriting/dp/1510730524/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1533420795&sr=8-1&keywords=michael+sull) - which is a development of Palmer.

As an aside, if you ever get the chance to go to one of his classes or lectures, jump at it! Absolutely fascinating.

[Goldberg]

Thank you both!

[calamus]

I studied Palmer as a student in elementary school back before the digital age, and went through university using my own sloppy version of it, which I'd managed to evolve (devolve?) on my own. That said, if you can swing it, Gregg shorthand would probably be the best, although I don't know how easy it is to find someone who teaches it any longer. Shorthand lets you take down lecture notes pretty much verbatim. Of course, it doesn't even look like English, and I imagine has a pretty steep learning curve.

[Rapidray]

Personally, I would go and buy a new pen and paper notebook. I would go with the Livescribe smart pen and their notebooks. I say this because as you are taking notes, he is still talking and you will miss something! Because the pen has a recorder in it, it will be recording everything. I have used it in meetings when I was working. It was with me every Sunday at church. Detectives are using them while talking or interviewing with people. Livescribe even targeted college and university students as their first major market. For note taking, this wins hands down.
I just checked there web site and the pen is up to the 3rd version. The recording is done with your phone or iPad. And the prices have stayed about the same.

[FredRydr]

Pitman

[dapprman]

Shorthand. I never did learn it and was always struggling with keeping up while also having bad hand writing.

Two things. Don't use a laptop to take notes (not that you're going to) as there is now sufficient evidence to prove students learn less. Second write up your notes as that is also shown to help you learn. Light Scribe pens and their ilk are gizmos more suitable to minute taking, and all of which have disadvantages.

[azkid]

I wouldn't worry about missing anything or writing verbatim or recording. I tried recording once and never listened to it once.

The key is to identify and summarize what is most important while the Prof is talking. I took all my notes in a haphazard, messy sort of a mashup of printing and standard cursive (Palmer or similar).

In my job I am in technical meetings constantly and started taking notes by hand (a more legible Palmer, now) a few months ago. It works better than typing. I use a bullet journalling style.

I can remember stuff better this way and if not, I can look it up, using my index.

Having a pen that I naturally write legibly yet relatively quickly with helps.

[SIR]

Maybe get the Moleskine Smart or Montblanc Augmented writing system?

https://www.techradar.com/uk/reviews/moleskine-pen-ellipse

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/montblanc-augmented-paper

[dfo]

While taking notes in lectures, seminars, and meeting at universities, I came to the realization that I could never right enough notes and the faster I wrote the less legible my writing became. I would go with whatever script you use and add flourishes later.

[catbert]

Unless you're writing shorthand, it's unrealistic to try to capture every word. There are studies (probably discussed around here somewhere) to suggest the relative slowness of handwriting means selection and thoughtful processing takes place during listening and note-taking, which has been shown to produce greater retention and understanding compared to rapidly typed transcription.

That said, go for a balance of speed and legibility (assuming you want to read your notes later). Flourishes will slow you down. My scrawl devolved from the simple letter forms of the Marion Richardson method.

[Goldberg]

Thanks for the suggestions,

I will not write every word, I know that the processing is what helps with memory.

So, I will go for a balanced style, thank you!

[titrisol]

Palmer is suitable for note taking

[calamus]

...[snip]... Second write up your notes as that is also shown to help you learn. ...[snip]...

This, I believe, is perhaps the most important bit of advice I've seen posted here. If you're listening carefully to the lecture and jotting down key points (using lots of abbreviations when you do), even if in a barely legible chicken scrawl, those chicken scratches will jog your memory when you go over them later. Ideally you'll do it that evening while the lecture is still fresh in your mind. When you copy over your notes you'll remember things the lecturer said that you didn't write down, and you can expand the notes at that time, as well as make them more legible. This serves a number of important functions. It serves as a review, helping you to remember what the lecturer said. It helps you to identify anything that's unclear so that you can follow up on it right away. (It's not very useful to discover confusing stuff lurking in a sea of sketchy, barely legible scrawls the night before an exam.) And it provides you with clear, comprehensive notes to go over later when you're studying for exams. Yes, it's a lot of work and it's time-consuming and requires discipline, but if you're serious about learning and doing well at university, it will help enormously.

[Inkflow]

Something like New American Cursive or Handwriting Without Tears (with their simplified captals) would be good, but most important is what you choose to take notes on.

It's important to distinguish between an event and its results. Here's an example: "Eli Whitney's 1794 invention of the cotton gin [event] made the institution of slavery stronger [results]." And then write down reasons to support any arguable points. Always write down dates, places and names, and if possible, any processes described in the lecture and their steps.

You could also fill out a who, what, when, where, why and how template for an entire lecture and its subtopics. There is also the Cornell template for note taking you might want to try.

[jdiggitydog]

Personally, I would choose a palmer just because it helps with taking notes a lot faster. But if you're taking notes and want to effectively use them, I recommend checking out these good study habits (https://www.iw.edu/8-good-study-habits-for-productive-college-students/).

[Chip]

To improve your handwriting, there are simple drills, such as this:

https://i.imgur.com/jhI4QiI.jpg

It helps yield a consistent stroke and angle and the ability to write regularly in even lines.

As far as tools, in grad school I carried a lined pad, three-hole punched, and took all my notes on it, then sorted them into binders by class and date. If you prefer bound notebooks, get one for each class so you don't have to leaf through pages of unrelated stuff. My favorite writing tool was a 5 or 7mm mechanical pencil with a good eraser.

[Cool Breeze]

I used to record my lectures and realized I did not have time to go to the class again (listen to the recording). It was really all a waste of time. Even if I did listen to it again, I cannot write or type as fast as the professor talks. I was pausing the audio every 5 seconds. It made me really understand the value of the special equipment court reporters use to track every word verbatim.

If I could do it over, I would try to find some dictation/transcription software. I would want all of the data on the page done beforehand. Then, all I had to do is reorganize, bullet, highlight, delete, etc. If I did find the time to listen to the recording, I could probably do it in real time without pausing. I would them print up my notes and put them in a binder/notebook of some sort to write on them to try to form some association. I remember things not just by how I see them on the page (bold/bullets/underlines/different colors/highlights/etc.) but also whether it was on the right or left side of the book and top or bottom of page.

I would chose the neatest/fastest way of writing for in-class note taking. Unfortunately, I am not sure what that is. Personally I used a cursive of some sort but not sure the one they talk in elementary school (I think it was new american). I am not sure how it is different than Palmer though. I I would choose a fine or extra fine nib and a big fat fountain pen with a comfortable section.

[omulmeu]

Perhaps studying Palmer will be the best option for you, given your situation.

[joolstacho]

Interesting isn't it? Note-taking really is just about YOUR ability to get it down quickly, and YOUR ability to read the result. Personally I think something like Palmer is the way to go, but you can make it more efficient and fast. There's no need for generous 'bowl' shapes. It's a physiological thing.
For example, think of 2 basic axis - vertical strokes (that are slanted forwards - because your wrist rotates but doesn't extend), and horizontal strokes. Verticals - move from the wrist rotation, and horizontals controlled by the fingers. No need for large round bowl or loop shapes or flourishes, so the main movement is on that slanted vertical, with the fingers - with minimal movement necessary, opening out the bowls just a little. - narrower bowls enable you to fit more on a line as well. Make sense?

[Doctox]

I have 5 degrees and many pens. Everyone is different but my advice is to put down your pen and listen attentively and then do your reading intensively.

[Mık Joger]

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