Enhance Your Digital Note-Taking Skills through the Boxing Technique
Handwritten note-taking is often superior to utilizing technology, primarily due to its effectiveness in enhancing memory retention and the abundance of top-notch note-taking strategies geared towards notebooks. However, the functionality of digital notes might be necessary at times, and if you don't want to convert your existing notes, then jot them down on your laptop using a digital note-taking technique. This approach is known as the boxing method.
What is the boxing method of note-taking?
The boxing method essentially mimics the process of mind mapping, where ideas are separated and grouped by utilizing boxes. The key difference lies in the fact that you employ your computer instead of physically drawing boxes and joining lines on paper.
How to utilize the boxing method for note-taking?
To employ the boxing method, first, open a document. Subsequently, the task becomes straightforward. Whenever a new topic arises in class, jot it down in the document. Briefly list all related information under each subheading. For instance, when studying diseases, you could have categories such as "noncommunicable," "communicable," "treatable," etc. List the diseases under their respective subcategory, and distribute them into your preferred arrangement after the class, utilizing the insertion tool to surround each with a box.
You can then modify these boxes, incorporating new information or eliminating irrelevant details. The advantage of employing the boxing method digitally over paper is that you can easily copy and paste or add new text without erasing previous content or having to start anew after running out of space.
Once you have a grasp of the fundamentals, you can draw lines to connect related boxes or use highlights or different font colors to distinguish between concepts. For example, if a disease is both contagious and treatable, you might choose to highlight all treatable diseases in blue, so that any blue-highlighted words under both "communicable" and "noncommunicable" can easily be identified as treatable diseases.
The benefit of the boxing method is that it facilitates the creation of succinct and easily comprehensible notes, generating a simple visual "map" illustrating how concepts interrelate.
Factors to consider when utilizing the boxing method
Categorizing everything can be time-consuming, so don't attempt to create all your clusters in real-time. Instead, utilize the time devoted to reviewing notes following class to transfer your notes into the appropriate categories and box them. This is particularly significant in courses that are more like discussions than structured lectures, as you don't wish to divide your focus any further than necessary.
Due to the convenience of editing and rearranging information, using the boxing method for digital note-taking can be more efficient than traditional handwriting for some families with busy schedules and multiple note-takers. Regardless of the method used, taking better notes as a family can improve collective understanding and memory retention during academic or professional discussions.
